6 October 2026

SDLP Leader of the Opposition Matthew O’Toole MLA has criticised the political theatre that dominated today's Assembly debate on a motion of no confidence in the Agriculture Minister, warning that the public are losing patience with an Executive more interested in posturing than governing.

Mr O’Toole said:

"As the Opposition, we believe fundamentally in accountability. Holding Ministers and Departments to account is not optional, it is a basic requirement of good government.

"There are very real and serious questions to be answered about DAERA's handling of the Fivemiletown cattle cull, and the Minister must offer some accountability for what happens on his watch.  Farmers, rural communities and those of us who care about animal welfare have every right to be angry and to demand answers. 

"The Department's handling of this incident raises grave concerns and those concerns must be properly examined. There are also real concerns about the Minister's stark failure to make real progress on the ecological emergency at Lough Neagh.

"The SDLP did not support the DUP motion and were planning to vote against it, and it is also clear that some of the online attacks on Minister Muir have been laced with vitriol and occasionally homophobia. 

"The proper response for the Minister was to accept scrutiny and robustly challenge it in the Assembly chamber. 

"Naomi Long was right when she said the public view Stormont pantomime politics with contempt. The question is why Alliance chose to add to it. 

"After lecturing others about political theatre, Alliance walked out of the Chamber rather than engage in accountability. You cannot claim to oppose pantomime politics while staging your own performance.

"This petulant performance from the Alliance Party will do nothing to persuade people that they are serious about changing politics here"