Stormont debates no-confidence motion in agriculture minister

HomeNewsUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessWorld of BusinessTechnology of BusinessNYSE Opening BellTechnologyWatch DocumentariesArtificial IntelligenceIntelligence RevolutionAI v the MindTech NowHealthWatch DocumentariesCultureWatch DocumentariesFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsWatch DocumentariesArts in MotionTravelWatch DocumentariesDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListTo the Ends of the Earth EarthWatch DocumentariesScienceNatural WondersClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcast CategoriesRadioAudio FAQsVideoWatch DocumentariesBBC MaestroDiscover the WorldLiveLive NewsLive SportDocumentariesSite searchHomeNewsSportBusinessTechnologyHealthCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveDocumentariesWeatherNewslettersStormont debates no-confidence motion in agriculture ministerJust nowShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleJayne McCormackPolitical correspondent, BBC News NIBBCThe no-confidence motion in Andrew Muir is being brought over a controversial cattle cull in County TyroneAssembly members (MLAs) are debating a no-confidence motion in Agriculture and Environment Minister Andrew Muir over a controversial cattle cull in County Tyrone.

The cows were shot in land near Fivemiletown in County Tyrone in June, leading to complaints about the manner of the cull which was carried out within earshot of members of the public.

In August, the Ulster Farmers' Union extended a vote of no confidence in the department to include the minister, the permanent secretary and the chief vet over how the cull was carried out.

Motions of no-confidence in the assembly are not binding even if a majority of MLAs vote in favour of them, and cannot automatically force a minister from office.

The motion was proposed by the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and is being backed by the Ulster Unionists and Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV).

It states that: "This Assembly believes the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs has lost the confidence of farmers, rural communities and the wider public; and calls on the minister to resign."

Speaking ahead of the debate, Alliance leader Naomi Long accused the DUP of having "their sights set" on Andrew Muir from the moment she nominated him to the ministry.

"They objected to the fact that he takes all parts of his job seriously and isn't beholden to one sector," she said.

"Under our system of government the only person who needs to have confidence in him is me, I nominated him as minister, I stand by it and all this is an hour and a half of wasted time."

Addressing the assembly, DUP Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA Deborah Erskine said the cattle cull marked a "day the line in the sand was drawn" and that farmers have "had enough".

She accused Muir of being "more concerned with penalising the farmer than promoting them, more concerned with finding fault on the farm than finding answers in his own department".

But Alliance leader Naomi Long said Muir was "going nowhere".

"So you can spend the next hour and a half talking amongst yourselves about how terrible he is – knock yourselves out.

"If you want pantomime politics, fine, but we won't be participating in a pantomime. These benches have real jobs to do, constituents to serve and progress to deliver and that's what we'll be spending our time doing over the next hour."

Alliance MLAs then all walked out of the chamber alongside Muir and Long in protest.

Sinn Féin's Aine Murphy said she understood the "strength of feeling" behind the motion, adding that the minister faces a "significant task" in restoring public confidence after the incident.

Ulster Unionist MLA Diana Armstrong said it was "regrettable" that the Alliance Party had walked out of the chamber, accusing the minister of not taking ownership for "what occurred on his watch".

SDLP leader of the opposition Matthew O'Toole said his party would not support the motion, but maintained that ministerial accountability is "important".

While TUV MLA Timothy Gaston said farmers wanted Muir to "stand with them" and for sustainable farms "to pass on to the next generation", saying it was "time Minister Muir is out of office".

The cull prompted widespread criticism after claims that some of the cattle had been killed in view of members of the public.

At the time, the agriculture minister said that it was "generally preferable" for the animals to be removed from the premises and euthanised remotely.

But that in this case it was the assessment of veterinary staff that "this option was simply not possible".

Muir said they used the most suitable areas within the field to "minimise exposure to public view".

Previously, Muir said that there were no sounds of "loud gunfire" and that "silencers" were used.

Muir said it was a "complex and distressing case" for his staff and condemned threats and online abuse that had subsequently been made against Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera) staff.

The minister also ordered an external review into the incident.

It is being led by Dr Martin Blake, a former Chief Veterinary Officer for Ireland.

His work will include looking at the decision-making, risk assessments and communication around the operation.

He will make recommendations, based on his examination of the records and any interviews he carries out.

Muir said Dr Blake's review would be "thorough but not prolonged", and told the committee it would be complete "by early autumn".

The UFU has called for the review to be conducted by a panel of experts, rather than an individual.