Michael Deane apologises after migrant delivery driver post

Michael Deane has apologised for his comments on social media

Belfast restaurant owner Michael Deane has apologised "unreservedly" after posting on social media about "undocumented" delivery drivers working for food delivery apps.

Mr Deane said that "in attempting to comment on how the app economy has undermined the economic and social fabric of our city", he "appeared to lay the blame at the feet of the migrant workers who deliver food via these apps".

"For that, I would like to apologise," he said.

Ivanka Antova, chair of United Against Racism Belfast, said the post was "both flippant and tone deaf" after "numerous attacks on black and brown workers by racist mobs".

In the Facebook post, which has now been deleted, Mr Deane said that while people used to know their local milkmen, now "an anonymous Deliveroo rider pulls up outside your house, logs your exact location and disappears into the night with your data".

"Who are they? Where did they come from? What checks were done? You don't know. And you're not supposed to ask."

In the post, Mr Deane encouraged people to "dine out" and support their local restaurants.

He said people had become "addicted to the app economy" - but when they ordered from Deliveroo, Just Eat or Uber, they were "effectively inviting a stranger, often an undocumented one, right to [their] front door".

'Punching down on migrant workers'

Gerry Carroll condemned the comments in Michael Deane's post

Posting on X, People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll described the post as "disgusting".

He said it was "punching down on migrant workers and repeating racist lies in the context of far-right vigilantes assaulting delivery workers".

"Scapegoating migrant workers won't fill your tables," he added.

It comes after police said they were treating two car attacks at the Connswater Retail Park in east Belfast as racially-motivated hate crimes.

'Disinformation and myths'

Ms Antova, of United Against Racism Belfast, said it was "dangerous to succumb to right-wing propaganda without providing any evidence on how workers in the hospitality sector would pose a threat to communities".

She added: "The hospitality sector in Northern Ireland would collapse without the work and contribution of migrant workers.

"Affluent business owners like Michael Deane should remember that their business and profits flourish because of migrant workers and not spread disinformation and myths about them."

A spokesperson for the union Unite Hospitality said the organisation was "appalled" by Deane's comments, which they described as "sneering prejudice".

They said he appeared "to be repeating racist lies and dog-whistles that echo the rhetoric of the far right".

"Such remarks add fuel to the atmosphere of hate and place migrant workers in even greater danger."

The union said it offered "full solidarity" to delivery workers.

In another Facebook post , Mr Deane said his words were "poorly thought out and badly timed, and I apologise unreservedly".

He said migrant workers were "the backbone of the hospitality industry, including [his] own establishments".

"Without them our pubs and restaurants would not function."

A Deliveroo spokesperson said the company took "a zero tolerance approach to illegal working", which was conducted by "a small minority" on the platform.

"If a rider is found to be in breach of the law and their obligations, we will terminate their contract with us," the spokesperson said.

"We are currently working on a number of tech changes to increase the security of our platform in Northern Ireland."

They added that their mission was "to support local restaurants and shops by connecting them with customers who live nearby, directly supporting local jobs and economies".