Debate contribution: River Basin Management Plan

Debate contribution by Ms Diana Armstrong on 15 October 2024.

MLA: Ms Diana Armstrong
Party at the time: Ulster Unionist Party
Date: 15 October 2024
Type: Debate contribution
Business: Opposition Business
Heading: River Basin Management Plan
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 4593017

Text

I thank the proposer of the motion for bringing this important topic to the Assembly today. Failure to address more broadly the contamination of our inland waterways by producing a revised river basin management plan for Lough Neagh and our river basin districts is an indictment on the Department, statutory bodies and associated agencies. As other Members have stated, water is an essential natural resource that we all rely on to sustain us. Fresh water is needed for human and animal consumption. It is needed for the aquatic life that it sustains in fresh water rivers and lakes and, in fact, for entire ecosystems. An Audit Office report from September 2024 highlighted that the deteriorating water quality in Lough Erne, which is in my constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone, is largely due to outdated waste water infrastructure having to cope with increasing demands. We delude ourselves, if we think that the problem will go away, and that is why it is imperative that the final publication and implementation of the river basin management plan is given the utmost urgency. Implementation and action will be the precursor to action on other fresh water lakes and rivers. The issues facing Lough Erne that I have referred to are not unique but are symptomatic of a broader crisis in Northern Ireland's waste water management. Northern Ireland has more overflows per head of population and per kilometre of pipe than any other region in the United Kingdom. That leads to regular pollution incidents not just in Lough Erne but in other key water basins, such as Lough Neagh and the River Blackwater, also in my constituency. Those watercourses are key attractors for tourism; they are a key asset in the economy; and they support local businesses, such as eel fishing at Lough Neagh. As water quality deteriorates, the tourism industry will be affected, making lakelands less attractive to visitors. However, the environmental damage of pollution could be much longer-lasting. Once nutrient levels in our lakes and rivers reach a critical point, reversing the damage becomes more challenging. Algae bloom created by excess nutrients cause oxygen levels to reduce so much that they create dead zones and aquatic life becomes unsustainable. A more strategic approach to managing Northern Ireland's water resources is needed. Not only does the physical infrastructure need upgrading but more effective regulatory measures need to be implemented to prevent pollution. The publication of the river basin management plan would be a good starting point to show that the Department is serious about its aim of addressing the pollution in Lough Neagh and across Northern Ireland's inland waterways. As my colleague Robbie Butler said, this is about safeguarding public health, supporting biodiversity and ensuring that our waterways remain a vital part of our shared environmental heritage. For that reason, I support the motion calling on DAERA to fulfil its obligations under the water framework directive and proceed with haste to final implementation.

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

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