The Drumcree stand-off has again dominated Assembly business at Stormont, with MLAs clashing over the parading dispute.

Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan suggested that the leader of unionism was not DUP leader Gavin Robinson and instead loyalist activist Jamie Bryson.

Mr Bryson provided legal advice to the Portadown Orangemen in their bid to overturn the longstanding prohibition on their parade down the predominantly nationalist Garvaghy Road.

Describing Mr Bryson as a “legal eagle”, Mr Sheehan said the high-profile loyalist was “calling the shots” within the DUP.

“The leader of unionism at the minute, who is calling the shots, is standing at Drumcree,” he told unionist MLAs sitting opposite him in the Assembly chamber.

“Who is it? The one and only Jamie Bryson — the leader of unionism, swinging you all around by the tail. Why do you not just stand up? Why has unionism given over the leadership to that buck idiot, Jamie Bryson? Why are you doing it? That is the man who is leading unionism.”

DUP MLA Diane Forsythe responded in robust terms, branding Mr Sheehan an “IRA bomber” in reference to a past conviction.

The South Down MLA also referred to Sinn Féin First Minister Michelle O’Neill’s no show in the Assembly on Monday afternoon to answer an urgent oral question on her attendance at an unlawful protest on the Garvaghy Road on Sunday.

“I am clear in what I say – the leader of unionism is Gavin Robinson,” said Ms Forsythe.

“I am proud to say that. He does a much better job than the part-timer Michelle O’Neill, First Minister on the run from the chamber.”

UUP leader Jon Burrows criticised those Sinn Féin politicians who participated in the unnotified Garvaghy Road protest.

“You have damaged the legitimacy of this place, and that is shameful,” he said.

Mr Burrows said the rule of law had to be upheld.

“It is a pillar of democracy because it places under the same set of rules the most powerful and the powerless,” he said.

“Whether you are the First Minister or you work in McDonald’s or you have no job or whether you are 90 years of age or 18 years of age, the same set of rules is applicable to you.

“A big challenge is coming down the road for Sinn Féin, because its members broke the law.”

SDLP leader of the Opposition Matthew O’Toole MLA highlighted that amid the current crisis, the Stormont Executive had still failed to agree a budget for the financial year.

“We are at a moment of acute political — possibly even societal — crisis, given what has become a stand-off,” he said.

“My party and I have been clear that the people of Garvaghy Road did not want that deep, dark past — that wound — reopened after decades.

“It is clear that some people want to use that dispute to provoke division, dysfunction and polarisation in our society, and we cannot let that happen.

“Therefore, while I want a resolution to the issue at Garvaghy Road that upholds the rights of the residents, I also have to be clear about the unacceptability of walking away from the responsibility to govern this place.”

TUV MLA Timothy Gaston reiterated his call for the DUP to collapse the powersharing institutions.

“As of this morning, Michelle O’Neill remains First Minister even though she refused to come to the House to answer questions and to call herself to order for illegally bringing people on to the streets in Portadown,” he said.

“How can she remain a fit partner in government for Emma Little-Pengelly?”

He said it was time to put an “end to this farce”.

“The rule of law must be upheld. No parade, no Stormont — and no surrender,” he added.