First Minister Arlene Foster says Sinn Féin carried out "clear and premeditated" breaches of coronavirus regulations surrounding the funeral of Bobby Storey.

She told the assembly: "I take nothing away from the grieving family on that occasion, for Sinn Féin, however, they chose to act in a way that breached the regulations on funerals at that time, and in so doing have happily sent a signal to everyone else in Northern Ireland that it was one rule for them and one rule for the rest of us."

Mrs Foster said "there are funerals I should have been at, but I wasn't" and paid tribute to those who followed the regulations when paying their last respects to loved ones.

"The credit they deserve is only matched by the shame Sinn Féin should feel for their actions last June," Mrs Foster continued.

The DUP leader told MLAs that actions at Roselawn crematorium were "hurtful, ignorant and callous in the extreme".

"Acts of arrogance, acts of self entitlement, acts of privilege," she added.

Image source, NI Assembly

SDLP deputy leader Nichola Mallon opens the motion.

The North Belfast MLA says "she rises with deep regret" the fact that the assembly had to be recalled today.

Touching on the sacrifices made by the public, Ms Mallon adds people here "have a uniquely Irish way of confronting death" and commends those members of the public who made the "biggest sacrifice" by not attending loves ones' funerals.

"It is an insult to the bereaved across Northern Ireland", she tells the assembly, and "an insult to all those who have adhered to the rules."

She adds that she believes it was a "deliberate proactive calculation that they [Sinn Féin] would set aside the law they had made because it suited their agenda.”

Sir Hugh Orde, a former PSNI chief constable, says he would be "amazed" if the DUP left the policing board.

The party's leader, Arlene Foster, who has called for Simon Byrne to resign, has not ruled out DUP representatives leaving their posts on the oversight body.

Sir Hugh says this would be "irresponsible", explaining "to walk away from that would be an abrogation of responsibility".

Image source, Pacemaker

"The most important thing about the policing board, it is the legitimate way in which the police are held to account," he told BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback programme.

"It is the transparent way in which the police are held to account."

Image source, NI Assembly

DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley said he perceives there to be a direct conflict of interest and asks the house to adjourn to appoint a temporary speaker to ensure the public has confidence in today’s sitting.

DUP MLA Paul Frew asks if it is wise for the speaker to have the chair in this debate.

However, Speaker Alex Maskey says there are matters that arise in the chamber that are difficult and challenging which "have to presided over by somebody".

"Since the start of this assembly in 1998, the speaker has always provided over these matters, whether people like them or not and we’ve made sure we live by the rulings of the speakers in an impartial manner."

The debate moves on.

Speaker Alex Maskey opens today's debate on a motion to censure Sinn Féin regarding Bobby Storey's funeral last June.

Image source, NI Assembly

Enda McClafferty
BBC News NI political editor

MLAs return to the Stormont bubble today for an exercise in political distancing.

The majority will agree to isolate Sinn Féin in a motion of censure over its role at the Bobby Storey funeral.

Expect some heated and passionate changes across the assembly floor but don’t expect much to change after the two-hour debate.

In the absence of a court case for now it's another chance for MLAs to deliver their verdicts.

Image source, PA Media

Much of the focus will be on the "confusing" laws around funerals which the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) blamed for a lack of prosecutions - a decision now being reviewed.

Ironically ministers are likely to change the laws around funerals again today with a recommendation to increase the numbers who can attend to 35.

It is easy to forget that Northern Ireland is still plotting its pathway out of lockdown.

Those are the big decisions which will be made today.

The pathway to political recovery will take longer to navigate and what we have today is another difficult staging post on that journey.

Yesterday, Northern Ireland's Public Prosecution Service (PPS) announced a review of its decision not to prosecute anyone in relation to the funeral of Bobby Storey.

The original decision led to First Minister Arlene Foster calling for the resignation of Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Chief Constable Simon Byrne.

She said he had lost the confidence of the unionist community but he has rejected calls to step down.

Image source, Pacemaker

The SDLP motion to be debated at the assembly this afternoon calls for MLAs to "condemn" Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill and her party colleague Finance Minister Conor Murphy, who attended the funeral.

The recall motion has the support of the DUP, the Ulster Unionists, the Alliance Party and the Green Party.

SDLP MLA Matthew O'Toole says the motion is about holding Sinn Féin ministers to account.

This afternoon, Stormont assembly members (MLAs) will debate a motion censuring Sinn Féin ministers after it was announced there would be no prosecutions in relation to the funeral of Bobby Storey.

Mr Storey, 64, was a senior republican figure and was the head of intelligence for the IRA in the 1990s.

Image source, Pacemaker

The funeral in June attracted about 2,000 mourners - including Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill - at a time when Covid-19 restrictions were in place.

The actions of 24 Sinn Féin politicians, including Ms O'Neill, were examined.

Yesterday, the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) announced a review of its decision not to bring prosecutions.

Read more: Assembly to debate Bobby Storey funeral motion

Hello and welcome to Thursday’s live coverage of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Politicians have been called back to Stormont from their Easter break to debate a motion of censure against Sinn Féin.

Image source, Reuters

It comes after the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) announced there would be no prosecutions against anyone who attended the funeral of the IRA man and senior Sinn Féin figure Bobby Storey.

The action starts at 12:00 so stick with us for the build-up and live coverage throughout the day.