All of Mr Andrew Muir’s imported questions, contributions and motions in this mandate, newest first, including those assessed as not flagged, uncertain or not yet analysed.
There was significant debate about that issue at the Committee and in the Assembly. After leaving the EU, we had to set up our own farm support scheme. Change is difficult, and it requires decisions to be made. There are also actions under way on that through the historical years exercise. It is important that we…
The roll-out of Farming with Nature is critical to supporting farmers, as the custodians of the countryside. I am conscious that agri-environment support reduced post the EU exit, and I am seeking to restore that. Last year, we launched the Farming with Nature transition scheme. A number of actions were available…
The land eligibility rules for the farm sustainability payment, which came into effect on 1 January 2026, have been simplified, to the benefit of farm businesses. That has made them easier to understand and reduced the associated bureaucracy and potential for error. The new rules make previously ineligible features,…
I am aware that those concerns have been expressed. As I outlined, Shared Environmental Services is a collaborative function, shared between the councils. The Northern Ireland Environment Agency wrote to Shared Environmental Services recently to set out its opinion on how it should deal with the transboundary issue.…
Since November 2021, the Department has not been provided detailed responses to requests seeking updates on time frames for issuing consultation responses. Provision of detailed updates to the high volume of requests received from applicants, their agents, political representatives and planning officials significantly…
Thank you for your question. I am happy to meet on the matter, but we have to be careful about conflating the issues of planning and ammonia pollution. We have extremely high levels of ammonia pollution in Northern Ireland. I am trying to find a way forward to reduce that pollution, which we must do because it is…
I am aware of the frustrations about the time that it takes the Department, as a statutory consultee, to reply to some planning consultations. Consequently, my officials have developed and are implementing the Northern Ireland Environment Agency planning improvement plan. That strategic plan aims to increase DAERA's…
I thank the Member for his question. I understand the frustration about planning applications and statutory consultees, and, in Northern Ireland, we need to do better. Shared Environmental Services was set up by the councils and is ultimately within their purview: that is where the accountability is. Overall, the…
As a statutory consultee in the planning system, my Department has a duty to respond to a statutory consultation within 21 calendar days or an otherwise agreed timescale. Statutory planning consultations are formal applications submitted to a local authority for permission to carry out development, as required by the…
Thank you, Stewart. Biosecurity is the first line of defence to protect livestock and business. Good biosecurity reduces the risk of the introduction and spread of disease. It is about taking all the efforts to reduce the risk of contact between disease-causing organisms and agents and susceptible animals, both from…
I am glad that the stakeholder group was able to agree a blueprint. That was published last year, and we are progressing its implementation. Biosecurity is a key element in our collective efforts with the farming community to drive down incidences of TB. Alongside that, we will commence a consultation on wildlife…
It is an important issue, as the Member rightly says. The island of Ireland is one single epidemiological area, and we must cooperate on these issues, as we do. We are consulting on the specific issue that the Member outlined. Northern Ireland and the South operate on the same basis, being members of a single market.…
My Department regards biosecurity as a cornerstone of animal health and disease prevention. Our approach is proactive and risk-based, recognising the interconnection between animal, human and environmental health. The agriculture sector operates in an environment where infectious diseases such as bovine tuberculosis,…
Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. I thank the Members who contributed to the debate. I hope that the Assembly will consent to the Government's amendments that were made at the House of Lords Report Stage that apply to Northern Ireland. The changes are positive for Northern Ireland. They strengthen our ability…
I beg to move Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. This is the second legislative consent motion that I have brought forward on the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Bill. The motion is required because the UK Government made six amendments at House of Lords Report Stage on 12 January that…
The strategy sets out what is referred to as largely point-source pollution. We also know that there are concerns in relation to diffuse pollution. There is a lot we need to do in order to improve water quality. I have been very clear about the actions that I will be seeking to take on the specific issue of sewage…
Ten out of 10. That is probably the longest question I have ever got. Even Matthew has never got away with that. Most of us in the Chamber will know of places in our constituency that were affected by the storm. Tonight on BBC 2, ‘Winterwatch’ will profile its impact on Mount Stewart. We have to learn lessons from…
Thank you very much, Mr Deputy Speaker. I commend you on your tie. Yes, I did notice. I thank the House for the opportunity to make this statement to the Assembly on the launch of the consultation on the Northern Ireland draft nature recovery strategy. The statement will explain why a nature recovery strategy for…
Legislative Consent Motion: Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Bill That this Assembly notes the Government’s amendments to the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Bill made at the House of Lords Report Stage on 12 January 2026; and consents to the extension to Northern Ireland of the devolved provisions…
I thank all the Members who contributed to the debate. I hope that the Assembly consents to the Bill's extension to Northern Ireland, thereby providing a legislative framework that enables Northern Ireland researchers to participate in projects on the high seas. I acknowledge that there will be a further LCM on this.…
I beg to move I am grateful for the opportunity to move this legislative consent motion (LCM) on the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Bill. It is an important piece of legislation that will enable the United Kingdom to implement the UN biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction agreement, which is a landmark…
I thank the Members who contributed to the debate. I welcome Gareth Wilson to the Chamber and look forward to working with him on the AERA Committee. To summarise, the Waste (Fees and Charges) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 will bring into operation the waste management charging scheme for…
I beg to move Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I am grateful for the opportunity to bring the motion to the House. The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) operates an annual charging policy for its regulatory activities. The charging policy covers eight separate charging schemes, of which the waste management…
I speak today as an Alliance Party MLA for North Down, and I thank my constituency colleague Connie Egan MLA for securing this timely and important debate in the Assembly. Contrary to the perceptions of some, there are many people in North Down who are suffering from poverty. They are wondering how they will feed…
The draft Waste (Fees and Charges) (Amendment No.2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 That the draft Waste (Fees and Charges) (Amendment No.2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 be approved.