MLAs in public feud over snow response

Responding to comments made by Sinn Féin MLA Cathal Ó hOisín regarding the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s response to the crisis, SDLP MLA John Dallat warned that Mr Ó hOisín should stay “off thin ice.”

Cathal Ó hOisín had accused John Dallat of making unreasonable criticisms of the way Sinn Féin Minister Michelle O’Neill had handled the crisis.

In response, John Dallat issued the following statement: “There are occasions when politicians should stay off thin ice and while Cathal Ó hOisín is a new boy to the Assembly he is there long enough to know that there is a time when trying to cover the back of a dysfunctional Agricultural Minister is not a good idea.

“In his bizarre statement Mr Ó hOisín welcomes clarification by the Agricultural Minister Michelle O’Neill on fallen animals in the Sperrins area and then goes on to attack me for representing farmers who were at their wits end not knowing if their dead sheep would be collected. Why was the clarification needed?

“He appears to forget that this crisis was well into its second week with the civil servants at the Department run by his minister apparently still not aware that there was snow disaster in the Sperrins! At least that was the impression I got when I was informed that inspectors were relying on post codes and would be going out to check that the claims for help were genuine! Can anyone imagine how offensive that was to farmers who were in the process of collecting their dead sheep and lambs from the hills?

“Sadly, contrary to what Mr Ó hOisín claims the Sinn Féin Minister did not lead from the front but had to be dragged into the reality that there was a crisis. Now we must wait to find out what she is going to do to help those farmers who have lost virtually everything and if she delivers I will be the first to express my gratitude. If she fails I sincerely hope Mr Ó hOisín will not make the same mistake again by wading in to rescue her.”