‘No place for homophobia, racism, or misogyny': Michelle O'Neill brands abuse targeted at agriculture minister ‘disgraceful'

Belfast Telegraph

04-06-2025

Mr Muir told the Assembly on Tuesday that he and his department had been the target of 'vile' homophobic, racist and misogynistic comments on social media over his department's proposed Nutrients Action Programme.
Posting on social media on Wednesday morning, Ms O'Neill said: 'The online abuse directed at Minister Andrew Muir and staff in his department is disgraceful.
'There must always be space for open and honest debate on policy, but there is absolutely no place for homophobia, racism, or misogyny.
'I urge people to engage constructively in the political process: to shape policy, improve it, and make it work for farmers, our environment, and Lough Neagh.'
In the Assembly on Tuesday, Mr Muir was pressed to abandon the proposed plan for 2026-29 which is currently out for consultation during questions for his department.
He was warned the proposals, aimed at improving water quality and the wider environment by reducing and preventing pollution caused or induced by nutrients from agricultural sources, could destroy the farming industry.
We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity.
Opponents to the plan have argued that the measures currently proposed could devastate agriculture, reduce livestock numbers and undermine food security.
They have called on Mr Muir to bring forward a policy based on genuine partnership rather than punitive policies which risk the viability of our agricultural industry.
A petition set up by DUP MLA Michelle McIlveen calling for the plan to be scrapped had been signed by more than 1,800 people by Tuesday afternoon.
Mr Muir told MLAs there is a requirement arising from the Lough Neagh Action Plan and also the Environmental Improvement Plan to review the Nutrients Action Plan.
He said it is about ensuring both financial and environmental sustainability, and emphasised they are currently undertaking a consultation on draft proposals, and that no final decisions have been taken.
Mr Muir also expressed concern that there is 'a lot of misinformation' around the proposals, and said the social media commentary around the plan in recent weeks has been disgraceful'.
'There's been misogynistic comments against officials in my department,' he said.
'There's been racist comments in relation to people that we are very, very fortunate to have working within our agri-food sector.
'And not for a very long time have I seen such vile homophobic comments about myself. I am a gay man, and I am proud to be a gay man, and it has no relevance whatsoever to the Nutrients Action Programme nor my ability to do this job.'
The consultation on the revised Nutrients Action Programme 2026-2029 is set to continue to July 24 2025.