Debate contribution: North/South Ministerial Council: Environment

Debate contribution by Mr Andrew Muir on 9 September 2025.

MLA

Mr Andrew Muir

Party at the time

Alliance Party

Date

9 September 2025

Type

Debate contribution (made as a minister)

Business

Ministerial Statements

Heading

North/South Ministerial Council: Environment

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5085992

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I confirm that Lough Neagh was discussed at the North/South Ministerial Council environment sectoral meeting, because it is a shared challenge, given that the catchment area covers North and South. A lot of good work is being done North and South, but we need to do more. Discussions are ongoing about the potential for a Shared Island initiative on Lough Neagh. I want to be able to support the farming community on the road ahead, particularly taking into account the success of the South's agricultural sustainability support and advisory programme (ASSAP) and the sustainable catchment programme in the North, which are similar initiatives. They are an opportunity for us to collaborate on the issues. We will continue to engage. There is strong and positive engagement. However, it is about more than just water quality; it also relates to nature and biodiversity. There are a number of Shared Island and PEACE PLUS initiatives, and it is really good that we have those, but we will need to redouble our efforts and to work North/South. I welcome the fact that the Irish Government have included cooperation North/South in their Programme for Government, and that is why we work together on the issues.

Thank you very much, Nick. The clean air strategy is an important initiative that my Department is taking forward. We are engaging with other Departments with responsibility for minimising polluting emissions to air to agree the actions that each Department can include in the draft clean air strategy. Good progress has been made on the development of the draft strategy. I have met my officials to set out my policy direction, and liaison is ongoing between DAERA, the Department for the Economy, the Department for Infrastructure, the Department of Health and the Department for Communities. A draft of the clean air strategy was recently shared with those Departments. My officials are reviewing the feedback that was received and revising the strategy to reflect those views. I anticipate the launch of the public consultation on the draft strategy later this year. I remain committed to publishing a robust strategy that will deliver real benefits to human health and the environment across Northern Ireland.

We are considering a number of Shared Island opportunities. Departmental officials are engaging with the Irish Government's Shared Island initiative unit to explore a Natura Communities network proposal. That will build on the work that has already been successfully undertaken by the Shared Island initiative peatland programme and will provide €5 million for the establishment and implementation of the Natura Communities networks. Departmental officials will engage further with the Irish Government's Shared Island initiative unit to explore opportunities to improve water quality in the Lough Neagh catchment area and more widely on the island of Ireland. Any such proposals will build on and support the actions in the Lough Neagh action plan that is being progressed.

I thank the Member for his question. It is a critical issue. We are pumping sewage into Lough Neagh, Belfast lough and our waterways, and something needs to be done about it. My responsibility relates to regulation and enforcement. Since NI Water was established in 2007, there has been a separate regulatory regime for NI Water. Farmers often tell me, "That is not fair", and I agree with them. I will need support from Executive colleagues to have a regulation and enforcement regime on sewage pollution that makes it clear that there are no separate arrangements for anyone. That will come forward in the next number of months, and I will need backing on it.

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

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 12:57 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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