Debate contribution: Fires in the Mourne Mountains
Debate contribution by Mr Andrew Muir on .
- MLA
- Mr Andrew Muir
- Party at the time
- Alliance Party
- Date
- 7 April 2025
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Question for Urgent Oral Answer
- Heading
- Fires in the Mourne Mountains
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4890860
Read the official Assembly record
Text
Finances are always a challenge for my Department. The Fiscal Council set that out with regard to the budgetary settlement for my Department. I say one thing about this: we are facing a very serious situation. I worry that, if these fires do not stop, lives will be lost. There is a tendency in this place to divert to blame games and finger-pointing. That does not resolve any of this. I am working in my Department and with the Health Minister. There is a cross-departmental, statutory, joined-up approach to this. I praise the work undertaken by the Fire and Rescue Service, the police, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, the Mourne Heritage Trust and so many people who come together in relation to this. To be honest, I dread to think what would be happening if that preparedness and prompt response had not been in place. I am now receiving reports of another fire having broken out in the Mournes. It is important that I say to everyone across Northern Ireland, "Knock it on the head. Stop these fires."
Thank you, Andy, for your question. I will answer in two parts. Let us call this what it is: rural arson. If it does not stop, we will have homes burnt down, people killed and serious environmental consequences beyond those that we have seen in recent days and weeks. The situation that is unfolding is really concerning. I am happy to meet residents. I plan to go to the area this evening. As a result of the evolving situation, I will not go anywhere near the wildfires, because it is important that I do not divert resources away from the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service. Therefore, I will keep well away from the scene, and I encourage others to do likewise, because we need to let the Fire and Rescue Service get on with the job. I will meet residents much further away from the scene. It is important to give thanks to the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service and let it get on with the job, which is extremely challenging.
351 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: 0.04 (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 (0.76).
- No identity-based framing was identified (0.98).
- 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 | 0.03 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.02 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.03 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.02 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.76 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.04 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 0.98 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.02 |
| 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 12:18 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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