Debate contribution: Independent Environmental Protection Agency

Debate contribution by Ms Cara Hunter on 13 May 2024.

MLA

Ms Cara Hunter

Party at the time

Social Democratic and Labour Party

Date

13 May 2024

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Opposition Business

Heading

Independent Environmental Protection Agency

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4489283

Read the official Assembly record

Text

At the heart of Ulster lies Lough Neagh, the banks of which grace five counties. With Ireland's largest lake come a rich mythological, stunning natural beauty, a body of water that once supported a vibrant ecosystem and a legacy of fishing and work life that has tied generations of families together. Today, however, much of Lough Neagh sits covered in algae, polluted and stagnant, similar to and symbolic of the stagnation that has characterised the failings of this Chamber for far too long. What should be a rich, thriving, ecological haven at the heart of this place, a lough capable of supporting communities, livelihoods and a diverse and flourishing array of marine and bird life is, instead, a murky pool with dwindling fish stocks, 100,000 fewer wintering birds and water so polluted that pet dogs have, sadly, died as a result. What should be recognised as a shared ecological jewel, a lake cherished and celebrated, is now devastated and has, instead, been neglected by the House, its purity sullied by the actions of industry, and those who depended on it for environmental integrity are now jobless and bereft. I want to mention two fantastic businesses in my constituency. Edge Watersports and the Cranagh Activity Centre were based on the River Bann. That fantastic centre provided the opportunity for so many to engage in water sports. It had disability access and was a thriving local family business. It started in 1996. and its owners — two wonderful people — hoped to pass it down to their children. Sadly, as a direct result of the presence of the algae, they were told, "People cannot go into the water. If they go into the water and get sick, it is essentially on you." When they reached out at that time, when the Assembly was down, there was no guidance whatever from Departments and no financial support. As a result, sadly, those two family-owned businesses collapsed and closed. It is important that we raise that today to show not only the environmental and ecological crisis that we face but the real-life negative financial impact that the algae and the ruining of the lake have created for businesses around the River Bann as well in my constituency. It is high time that the Chamber took action to protect Lough Neagh, to grapple with challenging decisions that must be made to truly prioritise our environment and to safeguard the source of 40% of our drinking water for generations to come. Regrettably, we have not been doing that. With regard to the largest wetlands on these islands, the Assembly has been found derelict in its duty.

I thank the Member for his intervention. We have a moral and professional duty to protect the environment for not only ourselves and our generation but for our children and their children. Today is an opportunity to have that discussion about what we can do and what steps we can take. With only a pitiful 14% of our rivers and lakes having received a "Good" ecological status in 2021, our rivers and lakes remain blighted by run-off from agriculture, animal slurry, chemical fertilisers and human sewage. While our environment continues to suffer, our wildlife diminishes in its numbers and quality, and the people dependent on the lake for their work continue to be shafted. The Earl of Shaftesbury, much like an absentee landlord of the 19th century, continues to collect royalties. It is high time that we took matters into our own hands, took seriously our responsibility to restore nature and its sacred importance and acted swiftly to fulfil what the SDLP has consistently called for and finally establish an independent environmental watchdog. Minister, I respect that you have been in this position for a few weeks. Hopefully, in the coming weeks, you will use your new position to find an answer and a resolution. That is why it was so deeply regrettable that, when we had a recall motion, the Alliance Party did not sign it. In your winding-up speech, I would like to hear a little more about why that was.

Yes.

I thank the Member for his intervention. At that time, civil servants needed to understand where the political sway was. The recall motion would have provided us with a solid and open opportunity to communicate our needs, fears and concerns about Lough Neagh. Just days previously, Alliance Party members on Belfast City Council supported a motion alongside the SDLP and the Greens. That is why it was so confusing. However, Minister, I wish you the best of luck, and I really hope that Members across the House will vote for the motion.

775 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 10:28 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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