Thank-you for joining us for our coverage of Wednesday's executive office committee where First Minister Michelle O'Neill answered questions.

The committee is now taking a "five minute breather" and questions to O'Neill have ended.

Our writers on this live page were Amy Murray and Hayley Halpin.

You can keep up with all the latest news across Northern Ireland on our website.

Sinn Féin MLA Carál Ní Chuilín says DUP MLA Brian Kingston's point is "mealy mouthed coming from a political party who sits down with loyalists paramilitaries, with ministers, talking about deprivation under privilege, that's ridiculous".

Sinn Féin MLA Emma Sheerin criticises Gaston for opening the meeting by telling Bradshaw to breath, during their exchange.

She says it was "very unhelpful".

Committee member Carál Ní Chuilín says there are people who are "genuinely concerned about safeguarding" but are using the committee as a “political football”.

She says that questions that are relating to TEO will be answered, and those that are not, will not.

"There were concerns raised within this McMonagle case about Access NI being fit for purpose and other forums that are used - not just about safeguarding but best practice - is that something that your department could look at, in conjunction with health, who run it?"

She says that she wishes the committee could "get back to scrutinising the department" and that some of the commentary is "doing more of a disservice to the committee than any allegations".

O'Neill says that on the safeguarding issue that she will endeavour to take it back to the executive and raise and and find a cross-party approach at how the issue is dealt with.

When asking a question on violence against women and girls, Gaston is accused of asking a question which is outside of the remit of the executive office, regarding IRA involvement in Sinn Féin.

O'Neill says the question is "completely out of order" and offers to make a "general comment" about ending violence against women and girls.

After making the statement, Gaston says he wants to put on record that he believes there was interference in his questioning and five minutes was not enough time.

Alliance MLA Paula Bradshaw says Gaston is "badgering a witness".

O'Neill says: "I take my pledge of office very seriously. I take the use of public funds very seriously, that I will stand over my role in all of those things."

The TUV's Timothy Gaston begins his questioning by reading elements of the ministerial code, focusing on the stewardship of public funds.

He asks O'Neill how many days a week McMonagle worked in her constituency office. His line of questioning is challenged and he asks O'Neill whether the ministerial code applies to her or not?

Paula Bradshaw tells him financial matters related to the business of the Assembly Commission and, or, the Standards Commissioner.

"It doesn't relate to this committee," she adds.

Gaston accuses O'Neill of "ducking" the question and says there is "a serious question" on what monies were spent on McMonagle's employment.

"How many days a week did he do in your office? Did he do any work for you?" he continues.

Sugden says she's not sure the safeguarding policy that exists, led by the Executive, is up to the "standard that's required".

O'Neill responds: "I'm fairly sure that it isn't."

She says: "We need to find out what is wrong and we need to fix it. I absolutely would be up for that."

Sugden says she is "disappointed" that Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly is not at the committee meeting.

O'Neill says she will reflect it back.

Independent MLA Claire Sugden asks O'Neill how safeguarding can be improved to protect children and vulnerable adults.

"I think that's the conversation that we need to have," responds O'Neill.

"I have been contacted by organisations who are concerned about safeguarding, so all of this has brought to the fore a concern that, obviously, people have had.

"Clearly there's work to be done."

O'Neill states she wants to get to the bottom of what the failings are in current safeguarding policies and says she wants to focus her attention on that.

Sugden asks whether something needs to be done to make clear who is considered a vulnerable person.

"We need to find out what is wrong and we need to fix it," O'Neill reiterates.

McLaughlin outlines to the committee how important safeguarding is to Executive Office work.

"We as a committee are fair to ask for further clarity," McLaughlin says.

"You've come back here because you've had to revise, you've had to apologise, you've had to clarify issues, even so far as yesterday on the floor of the house. There are legitimate questions we want to ask you about the Michael McMonagle case and the Niall Ó Donnghaile case, but based on the role you play in this Assembly and on the Executive because it is about child safety," she says.

"Would you not agree that those are fair questions?"

O'Neill says: "In the spirit of openness and transparency, I have tried to be crystal clear because I, like you, absolutely want our safeguarding policies that we have right across society here to be absolutely A1, A*, first class, we should never let any child down".

McLaughlin says she has a lot of questions that she needs to ask and scrutinise. However, she says she is not able to.

Image source, NI Assembly

SDLP committee member Sinéad McLaughlin asks O'Neill if she is concerned that Deputy-First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly is not at the meeting to answer questions.

"Your partner, your joint-first minister, has a completely different view of your role now in responding to this committee than she has. That concerns me," says McLaughlin.

O'Neill explains that Little-Pengelly had a prior constituency engagement, but agrees that she should be here "to protect the integrity of the joint office".

"The reason that I am here is because we agreed that I would come here today," she continued.

"We both agreed that I was here to answer the questions."

DUP MLA Harry Harvey asks a question about the damage caused to the portrait at Belfast City Hall over the weekend.

O'Neill goes on to say the committee is "straying into party politicking as opposed to being genuine about safeguarding".

"Some of this stuff is just straying completely beyond your own legal advice, I'm quite sure."

Alliance MLA Connie Egan reads out the legal advice provided to the committee members.

When asked if O'Neill will answer questions on Niall Ó Donnghaile, committee member Carál Ní Chuilín says the matter "has nothing to do with TEO (The Executive Office)".

The committee is told the substantive point of the questions have to be to the remit of the committee rather than a passing reference to the executive office.

DUP member Brian Kingston continues to ask when O'Neill became concerned about the statement her party made about Ó Donnghaile.

"Sir, with all due respect, you have taken legal advice. Can I ask you, are you confident that you are following you own legal advice?" O'Neill replies.

O'Neill tells the committee: "I take my role and my responsibilities very seriously.

"I have endeavoured to answer all questions. I have answered numerous questions in the Assembly floor. I have answered questions to the media.

"I have, indeed, answered questions to this committee previously which strayed into party political and my legal advice is very clear that that is not where any of us should be," she says.

"But I am here on behalf of the Executive Office, I answer questions today on behalf of the Executive Office," she adds.

She says a "party political approach from some members should not be endured".

The DUP's Brian Kingston asks whether Michelle O'Neill noticed that convicted child sex offender, and former Sinn Féin press officer, Michael McMonagle was at an event in Stormont after his employment was terminated following his arrest.

O'Neill states that she believes that to be "a party political question", and says she has answered the question "over and over" on previous occasions.

When asked about whether other party members noticed McMonagle in attendance, Bradshaw says it has been agreed that questions need to be framed to address her work as first minister.

In terms of safeguarding, the first minister says "we all have a role to play as individuals, as political parties, as an Executive, as a civil service, as a society, and certainly I believe we all need to keep asking ourselves is everything we have in place fit for purpose".

"I think that's the remit that we all will share," she says.

Image source, NI Assembly

Committee Deputy Chair Connie Egan of the Alliance party asks O'Neill whether recent scandals have affected confidence in her party's ability to carry on work to combat violence against women and girls.

"I am very confident that I can continue to lead in this office," O'Neill responds.

"I am very proud of our work around ending violence against women and girls.

"I think that we need to continue in that vein and continue in that work to make sure it is as fit for purpose as it can possibly be."

O'Neill says that "in terms of anything that potentially happened on Saturday night in City Hall, I will not be commenting on".

A Sinn Féin employee has resigned after admitting involvement in an incident where damage was caused to a portrait in Belfast City Hall.

A painting of former lord mayor and Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) peer Lord Wallace Browne was removed from a wall at the weekend and its glass "smashed".

Michelle O'Neill has taken issue at what she considered to be a "party political issue" from Bradshaw.

"You have asked me to come back and clarify the previous committee experience," says O'Neill.

"Party political issues are not for this committee."

Bradshaw denies making a party political statement and saying she was offering O'Neill an opportunity to address recent media commentary suggesting whether the IRA still has strong influence over Sinn Fein.

"I'm not here to speculate on mediature," replied O'Neill.

Image source, NI Assembly

Michelle O'Neill tells the committee that she is "genuinely trying to be as open and transparent and helpful to members" as she "possibly can"."In doing so it now gives rise to wider concerns in terms of that I know this committee has been given legal advice about. I'm happy, more than happy and here to answer any genuine issues as first minister, but I think we all need to be conscious of the clear legal advice that we have," O'Neill says.

Bradshaw tells Gaston he is trying to "frustrate the business of the committee".