Debate contribution: Wildfires: Mourne Mountains
Debate contribution by Mr Andrew Muir on .
- MLA
- Mr Andrew Muir
- Party at the time
- Alliance Party
- Date
- 18 May 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Wildfires: Mourne Mountains
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5548413
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I mentioned in my answers the strategic framework and the action plan, but we have to do this together, Colin. It has to be a collective effort. As the Member rightly says, it is rural arson, but, that being the case, why are people not coming forward with information so that we can get people into court? We need to change attitudes to the acceptability of such behaviour, because it is not acceptable. People could lose their lives, homes are at risk and people are living in fear. I have had significant engagement with people and have put a lot of effort into that. Earlier today, I had questions about planning performance. We have limited resources and are trying to balance those. We have put resources into tackling the fires, but it has to be a collective effort: the Fire and Rescue Service, the police and other bodies have a role to play.
We will therefore continue to implement the action plan. If we get additional resources, we will look at what more we can do to move at a faster pace. As I said, we have also appointed international wildfire experts to deliver wildfire management plans. I am trying my best. It could be argued that a lot of the stuff that I am getting involved in is often the responsibility of another Department, but that is not what I am seeking to say. Instead, I am fronting up and trying to show leadership on what is a real issue. I know the concerns of local residents, particularly in the Mournes. Wildfires should not be occurring. People have been on the phone to me in tears, worried about their home, and that is not right. When good weather comes along, I say to anyone who intends going down there to light a fire to wise up. Do not do it. I also ask people, when there are fires, not to engage in wildfire tourism, because we then have a situation in which many people come to the area. It is very difficult for the agencies that are trying to fight wildfires to do so when people are on the mountains.
361 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 (0.80).
- No identity-based framing was identified (0.99).
- 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 | 0.03 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.03 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.02 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.04 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.03 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.80 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.04 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 0.99 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.01 |
| 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 15:33 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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