Debate contribution: Northern Ireland Water: Lough Neagh

Debate contribution by Mrs Deborah Erskine on 18 May 2026.

MLA: Mrs Deborah Erskine
Party at the time: Democratic Unionist Party
Date: 18 May 2026
Type: Debate contribution
Business: Oral Answers to Questions
Heading: Northern Ireland Water: Lough Neagh
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5548355

Text

I thank the Minister for his answer, but there is a fundamental problem with overflows along the Lough Neagh site. Farmers are being continually singled out and blamed for the pollution of Lough Neagh, yet the evidence that I got recently following an FOI request on the performance of NI Water tells a very different story. There are 106 storm overflows in the vicinity of Lough Neagh. Of those, only 11 have been assessed, of which just 2·8% were deemed to be satisfactory. By my calculation — I am not good at maths — that means that less than one storm overflow has been assessed as satisfactory.

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

Part of an exchange

This follow-up belongs to: Oral question AQO 3556/22-27.

Assessment

Not analysed

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