Muir hits back on quit call: Staff mistakes must be probed but my job goes on, maintains Daera minister
Daera minister Andrew Muir has hit back on calls for him to quit, insisting that while mistakes from his staff must be probed his job goes on.
The Alliance politician insisted that the controversial cattle cull that sparked demands for his resignation was “neither authorised nor directed” by him, but stated that “as the responsible minister” he’s ordered an investigation into the Fivemiletown incident because “the public deserve answers”.
In a statement on social media this afternoon, the minister wrote: “If mistakes were made by my officials, they must be identified and lessons learned.
“However, my job of work continues regardless of the views of any one organisation.”
Appearing to dismiss a vote of no-confidence in him by the Ulster Farmers’ Union, Mr Muir stated: “No single interest, however powerful or well organised, will be allowed to dictate government policy.”
Pointing to the pollution crisis that now engulfs Lough Neagh every summer plus pressures from climate change, he wrote: “Our environment and the health and wellbeing of our communities cannot be protected by preserving the status quo.
“Our farming industry will not have a sustainable future unless we tackle these challenges honestly.
“That means making difficult decisions when the evidence requires them. It means confronting problems that have been allowed to persist for too long. And it means ensuring that the interests of future generations carry as much weight as the interests of those who have traditionally had the loudest voice.”
He added that he has “a lot more I intend to do as minister”, something he said involves “embracing the entire remit of the department” – which, of course, is tasked with looking after Northern Ireland’s environment in general, as well as overseeing the farming sector.
“The state of our environment and climate demands it,” he wrote.
“I was elected to change things. That is exactly what I will continue to do.”
Mr Muir had the backing of fellow Alliance MLA John Blair. Taking swipes at the UFU, he branded the no-confidence vote “a stunt” and claimed the union “has no interest in separating fact from fiction”.
He said: “With this move, the Ulster Farmers’ Union is yet again failing to provide the calm and measured leadership required and instead is being driven by disingenuous actors on social media, who expect the minister to dance to the same tune as his predecessors.”
The cull of 51 cattle took place in a field near Fivemiletown in June, after a court issued a disposal order against a farmer who had been disqualified for life from keeping, owning or participating in the keeping of animals.
However, critics have questioned whether the cull was necessary – as well as the manner in which it was carried out, as politicians complained people in the area could hear gunshots during the incident.
The UFU had already issued a vote of no confidence in Deara. It has now extended that to Mr Muir, as well as Permanent Secretary Katrina Godfrey and Chief Veterinary Officer Brian Dooher, calling for their immediate resignations.
At a meeting yesterday, the UFU also concluded that it does not have confidence in the independence of the minister’s review into the Fivemiletown cull.
Union leaders say they don’t support the review as presently constituted, including the scope of its terms of reference and the appointment of a single person to conduct it.