Debate contribution: River Basin Management Plan

Debate contribution by Mr Mark Durkan on 15 October 2024.

MLA

Mr Mark Durkan

Party at the time

Social Democratic and Labour Party

Date

15 October 2024

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Opposition Business

Heading

River Basin Management Plan

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4593047

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I welcome the consensus that our water resources are too valuable to neglect, but we have heard that rhetoric before and it has not translated into action. The lackadaisical approach to water management for so long, including the degradation of our rivers and lakes and the inability to meet basic water standards, is unforgivable. We can no longer turn a blind eye to an issue that not only affects our natural environment but, if ignored, will have dire consequences for public health, the economy and our way of life. While the Minister and his Executive colleagues congratulate themselves on publishing an action plan for Lough Neagh and an overdue environmental improvement plan, the real issue of repeated non-compliance with environmental law lurks just below the surface. The new Executive seem more concerned with being seen to do something than with taking meaningful action. Rather than focus on real, lasting change that will benefit future generations, they prioritise appearance over substance. I hope that the Minister can get the support that he needs. From experience, it has not often been forthcoming. On that note, it was not until the very visible crisis at Lough Neagh that the wider body politic was stirred into action. It took the toxic green algae blooms to prompt the Executive's green transition, but I worry that their version of "going green" might be toxic in its own way. As the OEP's chief scientific officer, Robbie McDonald, pointed out:

"beneath the surface and across all of the waterways and land of Northern Ireland, this process has been going on for decades."

It was not happening in secret. The issue has been crying out for action for years. The language in today's OEP report could not be starker. The pressure applied to our land and water is unbearable and unsustainable. Please heed the experts. We cannot afford to waste precious time dithering while the degradation of habitats and species threatens the agri-food industry and the local economy.

Rather than taking proactive measures to prevent issues before they escalate, the Executive seem to act only when situations reach a crisis point, and that is with a legal requirement in place. I am not filled with hope for the remainder of the mandate, given the oblique recognition in the draft PFG, which does not equate to specific environmental objectives or clear plans for how DAERA intends to meet the ambitious 70% target of water bodies achieving good chemical status in just over two years. Given that water quality has not improved but rather has significantly deteriorated, with the percentage of our lakes that are in good ecological status falling from 24% to just 14%, meeting that target may require a miracle, but we can pray. DAERA has consistently failed to meet deadlines and is currently in breach of its basic duty to deliver a river basin management plan. It is now three years overdue: another casualty of political collapse. The reality is that, without that plan, the PFG's environmental ambitions will be nothing more than words on paper. The plan needs to be published and implemented, as our motion calls for, not just to be reviewed and strategic measures introduced, as the amendment calls for. The amendment constitutes a watering down — for want of a better expression — of our motion. The longer that we delay, the more costly and difficult that it will be to reverse the damage. Without decisive action now, we risk permanent harm to our environment, and the only legacy that we will leave behind is one of neglect and destruction. I am disappointed and surprised that other parties have indicated support for the amendment. We urge the Minister to explore an all-Ireland strategy, and I know that he has raised that issue at the North/South Ministerial Council. If there is any chance of reversing the harm that is being caused to our environment, and of meeting basic legal targets, we need to start with a proper river basin management plan that can underpin much of the work that the Minister needs to take forward in the years ahead. We need action now. Without it, Northern Ireland's water systems will continue to deteriorate. I implore the Assembly to support the motion. It is not only a legal obligation but a moral imperative.

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

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:26 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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