Debate contribution: Littering
Debate contribution by Mr Andrew Muir on .
- MLA
- Mr Andrew Muir
- Party at the time
- Alliance Party
- Date
- 17 June 2024
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Littering
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4496634
Read the official Assembly record
Text
Littering is a blight on our precious environment, and I am strongly committed to and actively working towards reducing the number of littering offences throughout Northern Ireland using the combined approach of legislation, education and enforcement. I am aware of the continuing problem of litter, especially in the marine environment, and I am conscious of its impacts along the beautiful beaches of the north coast and our whole coastline. My Department continues to work with our stakeholders, such as Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, Northern Ireland Water, the National Trust and Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council to reduce the volume of litter entering our marine environment. In addition, legislation was introduced in December 2022 to increase the maximum fixed penalty notice that councils can set for littering offences from £80 to £200 to act as a stronger deterrent to littering. My Department has also provided funding to a number of projects specifically aimed at tackling the problem of marine litter through the marine litter capital grants scheme, which improves environmental management of local public areas by reducing marine litter. The draft environmental improvement plan (EIP), which is subject to Executive approval, includes a commitment to publish the first litter strategy for Northern Ireland, which will include strategies for tackling marine litter.
211 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.02 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.67).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.02 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.01 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.01 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.01 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.02 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.67 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.02 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 1.00 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.00 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-related subject | 1.00 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
| Irish language, Ulster-Scots and language policy | 0.00 |
| Sport (including the GAA), the arts and cultural bodies | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 10:47 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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