Andrew Muir
North Down · Alliance Party · Northern Ireland
“Thank you very much, Mr Deputy Speaker. As Minister, I am grateful to the Chair of the Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee and to Members from all sides of the Chamber for their consideration of the Bill and their contributions to the debate, which have been valuable and useful.”
“I will write to you with regard to your query. <BR /> <BR />The other issue, as I said, is reporting pollution incidents so that they can be effectively investigated. There is a duty on everyone to do that promptly.”
“Aquaculture provides real economic opportunities, and the Bill will help ensure that those opportunities are realised responsibly without compromising the environment. Importantly, the Bill includes transitional provisions so that existing licences can continue seamlessly as aquaculture licences, with their conditions unchanged.”
“That is not about being punitive for its own sake; it is about ensuring that the legal framework reflects the true value of our natural resources and the importance of protecting them for future generations.”
“<BR /> <BR />On strengthening the regulation of inland waters, the Bill modernises long-standing powers under the Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966, ensuring that they are fit for today's environmental and industry challenges. That matters because fisheries management today goes far beyond simply catching fish.”
“<BR /> <BR />A full regulatory impact assessment of the financial impact has been completed. It concluded that the Bill does not introduce significant new financial burdens and that any costs are outweighed by the long-term benefits.”
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“In some cases, the changes may result in refusal to consent to discharge. That will be tough, but it has to be done. <BR /> <BR />Sixthly, people need to know more about what Northern Ireland Water is discharging and when in order to improve compliance performance, reporting and accountability. We are working with Northern Ireland Water on those measures, but let me be clear, as Minister: the pace of delivery needs to pick up. To provide reliable, real-time evidence of the performance of waste water networks, Northern Ireland Water is rolling out an installation programme for event duration monitors (EDMs) on combined sewer overflows and pumping stations across its waste water network, with a priority to install them near to bathing waters and shellfish protected waters.”
“<BR /> <BR />Fourthly, turning to my specific actions to protect Belfast lough, I am seeking Executive agreement to designate the shellfish water protected area as a sensitive area under the Urban Waste Water Treatment Regulations (Northern Ireland). That will require enhanced treatment for waste water discharges entering the lough. <BR /> <BR />Fifthly, we need to review and put in place new standards for discharge consents. We currently have approximately 150,000 discharge consents: approximately 850 relating to waste water works; 320 relating to waste water collection systems; 6,000 relating to industrial or private processes; and 142,830 relating to domestic properties. Those reviews will result in new conditions being included in consents for new parameters that may result in more stringent standards than previously applied.”
“That is why I am seeking support from my Executive colleagues for my proposal to withdraw from SORPI and ensure that there is a level regulatory playing field for all organisations and individuals impacting on our water environment. It is neither right nor fair that anybody should be given a licence to pollute. The Drinking Water Inspectorate left in 2012; the Utility Regulator withdrew last year; now is the time for the Northern Ireland Environment Agency to depart. I look forward to early Executive engagement on the matter to help us all move forward towards improvements in water quality in Lough Neagh, in Lough Erne, in Belfast lough and across Northern Ireland.”
“<BR /> <BR />The independent review of environmental governance in Northern Ireland recommended exiting SORPI, finding:”
“<BR /> <BR />For my Department to deliver on its statutory duties and to respond effectively to present water quality challenges, it needs to ensure that regulation is delivered in compliance with the law and that effective enforcement is applied consistently across all sectors that cause pollution. Crucially, achieving parity requires ending outdated arrangements. It is my view that withdrawing from SORPI will deliver regulatory parity, with Northern Ireland Water then being regulated on the same basis as other industries, including agriculture. Such a step will drive environmental improvements and outcomes that support the delivery of the environmental improvement plan, which, given the scale of the nutrient pressures that waste water infrastructure is causing, is particularly important.”
“Anything that we do must be fair, impartial, proportionate and applied consistently across all sectors: public bodies, agriculture, private businesses and industry. Members will be aware that I have consistently signalled my intent for the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) to withdraw from SORPI, which, as I said, is an administrative arrangement with Northern Ireland Water that was established in 2007. Back then, it was recognised that there was a deficit in the inherited waste water infrastructure that would take time to be upgraded over a series of price control periods. Almost 20 years on, there remains an unacceptable level of waste water pollution.”
“<BR /> <BR />First, we must strengthen fines and penalties. I intend to introduce a fisheries and water environment Bill in May to modernise enforcement powers by increasing the maximum fine for water pollution to £50,000 and introducing the ability to issue fixed penalty notices. <BR /> <BR />Secondly, we need to review the sentences for environmental offences. The Department of Justice's planned sentencing review will include environmental offences. It will identify proposals to strengthen the sentencing framework to ensure that it continues to be effective and proportionate. <BR /> <BR />Thirdly, we need to end the licence to pollute that Northern Ireland Water has been granted since its foundation in 2007, in the form of the statement of regulatory principles and intent (SORPI).”
“It affects public health, livelihoods, the economy and the confidence that people have in the safety of the waters that they use. To rebuild public confidence, we must strengthen regulation of, and enforcement powers for, waste water pollution by making eight key interventions: legislating for stronger fines and penalties; reviewing the sentences that are handed down for environmental crimes; ending the bye ball given to Northern Ireland Water; stepping in to make a special designation for Belfast lough; reviewing standards and putting in place new ones for discharge consents; improving the monitoring and reporting of Northern Ireland Water's activities; clarifying the impact of price control 21 (PC21) being underfunded; and, importantly, setting up an independent environmental protection agency.”
“That is wrong and has real consequences, including three successive summers of blue-green algae blooms in Lough Neagh, alongside the deeply concerning and deteriorating position in Belfast lough and elsewhere; an increased risk to drinking water quality, as water treatment processes are challenged by the poor water quality that the drinking water sources provide, including Lough Neagh, which provides 40% of our drinking water; the cancellation of water-based sport and recreation owing to poor water quality; walkers and swimmers facing regular pollution events and beach closures; and the contamination of Belfast lough, which is damaging the shellfish water protected area (SWPA), thus reducing the quality and market value of local shellfish. <BR /> <BR />Waste water pollution is clearly not just an environmental issue.”
“With your permission, Mr Deputy Speaker, I wish to update Members on the actions that my Department is taking to strengthen regulation of and enforcement on waste water pollution. <BR /> <BR />Our rivers, lakes and loughs face mounting and unacceptable pressures. Only 29% of our surface water bodies now achieve good ecological status: a deterioration from 2011. Northern Ireland Water has reported that more than 20 million tons of untreated sewage and waste water spill into our waterways every year, with storm overflows discharging over 24,500 times annually.”
“My Department undertakes sampling, whether that is at bathing water sites or other outlets. I am happy to write to the Member with our findings from the recent analysis.”
“The state of Belfast lough continues to concern me. The fundamental issue is about dealing with the sewage pollution that is occurring. I will bring a paper to my Executive colleagues on stronger regulation and enforcement relating to that sewage pollution. There is also a role to be played, and we need to have a mature conversation about the investment that is required not only for Kinnegar waste water treatment plant, which is in our constituency, but more broadly for Belfast lough and beyond in Northern Ireland. We must take action to address the pollution; otherwise, we face a very bleak future for Belfast lough.”
“I am very conscious that DFI Rivers sits in the Department for Infrastructure. All statutory consultees have a role to play. Our planning performance improvement plan has a number of strands, including technical advice and guidance, caseload management, monitoring and reporting on performance, processes and IT systems, and communication and stakeholder engagement. We are committed to playing our part.”
“As I discussed earlier in Question Time, a planning performance improvement plan is in place for the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. It is important that we deliver on that. We are very aware that responses are not being provided in an efficient and effective manner, and it is important that we turn that around. I continue to engage with officials, and they will update the Committee on that matter.”
“We will look through the recommendations that came back from the expert panel to see what we can progress, but a lot of them relate to setting up an independent environmental protection agency. That is why these institutions need to be reformed. It seems to me that one party complains vociferously about an Irish Sea border, but, when it comes to the environment, it is happy to build another one brick by brick.”
“Thank you, David. Northern Ireland is an outlier in the UK and Ireland in its not having an independent environmental protection agency. The case for having one is clear. I commissioned an independent expert panel to look at the issue. It came back with a detailed report that outlined the case and rationale for that agency, its governance structure and function. That report is there. It is wrong that a commitment under the New Decade, New Approach agreement to set up an independent environmental protection agency has not been honoured. The arguments against it are without rhyme or reason. It is important that the UK Government step up and reform these institutions, because it is anti-democratic that one party can block proposals that the Assembly clearly endorsed in November last year.”
“The whole purpose of the funding and support is to provide those protections. For example, I am very aware of the vulnerability to wildfires in the Belfast hills. Looking after our nature better is a way to prevent that. If there is an interest from the Member and other North Belfast representatives, I would be happy to go to the area with those organisations to see the work that is taking place and profile the area. It is important that we connect nature and biodiversity to all communities in Northern Ireland, most especially North Belfast; Nuala McAllister told me to say that.”
“Thank you, Gerry. We face twin challenges here in relation to the climate crisis and also to nature and biodiversity. It is important that we take action on both fronts, because they are interrelated. That is why we are out to consultation — I know that people are frustrated with consultations, but legally we are required to do them — on the nature recovery strategy for Northern Ireland. Alongside that, we have the fund that you have just mentioned. I thank the environmental non-governmental organisations for the role that they play in helping us to turn nature round. I have been up in the Belfast hills and seen the good work that is taking place, particularly in linking through to those communities. I commend everyone for the work that they do.”
“I do not think that that is appropriate language for this place.”
“As the Member will be aware, there is an active planning application. I have to respect the process around that. My preference is to recycle and reuse.”
“Forest Service offers a number of schemes. We have lost a lot of forest cover as a result of recent storms. That is the outworking of climate change: we are having more severe and regular storms in Northern Ireland. Those schemes are in place. However, alongside that, it is important that we have a climate adaptation plan in Northern Ireland so that we can build resilience to those changes.”
“I am happy for officials to engage with you on that and get more detail. It is a very creative question. We are happy to consider what we can do around that.”
“I have been asked about this, and there are two issues that we have to be very conscious of: our legal obligations, particularly for the environment, and animal welfare. People have asked questions of me like the one that you have asked but have not provided the detail behind that of what exactly the ask is. I am awaiting that information.”
“The Department is continuing to monitor the situation. I am very conscious that we had the wettest January in around 149 years. That is having an impact across Northern Ireland. Officials are continuing to engage with the Ulster Farmers' Union on this. The legal requirements remain, but we are very aware of the concerns. I have spoken to the president of the Ulster Farmers' Union around this. We continue to engage on the matter.”
“I followed that issue up again today with officials, because it is important that we take action on it. That includes engaging with the UK Government. <BR />I will update Members on the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund, which was announced a number of months ago. As you are aware, we are not getting our fair share of that. We are getting approximately 3% of that through Barnett consequentials, rather than the 10% that we are due. I have consistently raised that — I did so recently — with the UK Government to ensure that we have funding support for our fishing community. It is important that we have support in place on this. A lot of this sits with the UK Government. I will continue to engage with them on it. I want to engage with the sector on this move. I am very disappointed with how the Isle of Man has done this.”
“The issue is especially serious for the Northern Ireland fleet, which is heavily reliant on skilled non-UK crew, and it risks undermining established fishing activity that has operated lawfully for many years. I am therefore seeking urgent engagement with the Isle of Man authorities to fully understand the rationale for those changes and to explore practical solutions that avoid that impact on Northern Ireland vessels.”
“As Minister, I first became aware of that when it was announced, which I am very disappointed about. I am very concerned about the change in the Isle of Man's immigration policy, which is now affecting Northern Ireland fishing vessels' access to Isle of Man waters. I am very disappointed about the lack of prior engagement on that, because it has the potential to have a significant detrimental impact on Northern Ireland's fishing fleet. Fishing sector producer organisations have already highlighted to me how that creates further uncertainty for vessel operators and how it is a threat to fleet viability and access to historical fishing areas.”
“It is important that, when we engage on the issue, it is done respectfully at all times, because officials are working under a lot of strain because of the resources available. We need to do better, and I will continue to engage with them on it, but those are civil servants who are working for the public.”
“Daniel, if I were able to fill those posts today, I would. One of the issues is about the Northern Ireland Civil Service HR's being able to get people recruited and into post. Members will be aware of the Northern Ireland Audit Office report on that and the need for change. I have engaged with the Finance Minister on that on an ongoing basis. Putting people into post is the key issue, not just in my Department but across the Northern Ireland Civil Service. It takes too long to get people into post, and, as a result, we have too many vacancies, which is impacting on public services. I get that. I know that the Committee considered that issue, and that officials gave evidence on it.”
“As officials outlined to the Committee, there is a planning performance plan in place. I am going to the Northern Ireland Environment Agency offices in Lisburn to engage directly with officials on the progress of that. I get that it needs to be improved. We are working on it. We need resources, and we need to get people in place to be able to do it. We need to be more agile in how we do it. That is a priority for me.”
“I ask Members to note that that project is entirely separate from the work on wildlife intervention options and is not, and should not be considered as, a predicator for any future decision that I may make on wildlife intervention policy.”
“The sett survey work, which will last for 12 weeks, will provide essential ecological information for wildlife intervention and TB breakdown management.”
“As I mentioned, Minister Heydon and I are due soon to launch the new bovine TB eradication pilot in north-east Donegal and part of the area covered by Derry City and Strabane District Council. The regionalisation pilot will serve as a proof-of-concept model and will enable us to trial, evaluate and refine interventions in that defined geographical area. The approach to the TB regionalisation project will include implementing and monitoring measures across the three key themes of wildlife, cattle and people. Work on this important issue is already under way. Wildlife sett surveys commenced in January, with land access for the work secured across the vast majority of the designated area. Some 86% of local farmers have granted permission for access. That shows exceptionally strong cooperation and engagement from the farming community.”
“I am aware of the judicial review, and I have read the judgement. As the Member outlined, my predecessor's proposed wildlife intervention was split into two parts for the judicial review. The legislative basis needs to be addressed. There is currently no specific primary or secondary legislation that explicitly provides for the culling of badgers in Northern Ireland to address TB disease levels and spread. <BR /> <BR />I get the urgency around this. We lost two years of the Assembly mandate. It is important that we do it right. We will consult on it, and I will take the difficult decisions.”
“The wildlife intervention was announced in the dying days of the previous mandate, and then it was successfully judicially reviewed. We have to take learnings about the issue and make sure that we are doing something right.”
“Thank you, Stephen. I am aware of the case that you outline. While TB has an impact in my Department, the mental health impact that it has on the farming community in Northern Ireland weighs upon me. I am aware of the farmer you cite and the impact that the situation is having on him and his family business. It is something that was unexpected, and it will take a significant financial toll. While we continue with 100% compensation, it does not reflect the full cost of TB on the farm. We are seeking to take action around that. I have a bid in for transformation funding so that we can drive down the level of TB in Northern Ireland. I am waiting for that to come to the Executive for agreement. We are looking forward to consulting on the wildlife interventions alongside the people and cattle measures.”
“I recognise that this is a technical area, but it is important to respect the veterinary science around it all. As I set out in my response, the TB partnership's blueprint recognises that all factors that contribute to the spread and endurance of this terrible disease need to be tackled if we are to set Northern Ireland on a path towards eradication. That means that actions need to be taken across all three key priorities: people, cattle and wildlife. I am committed to that. We have put additional funding towards it, and we are launching a cross-border initiative around it. It is important that when we are looking at wildlife interventions that we do it right and take learnings from the previous intervention, which fell at judicial review.”
“<BR /> <BR />As part of the blueprint's implementation, my officials are preparing a new consultation on the full range of potential wildlife intervention options for launch in the spring. Once that concludes, I will be much better placed to make an informed decision on the best way to address the spread of TB between badgers and cattle. My Department is also working with our stakeholders to prioritise other blueprint actions, and I have instructed my officials to establish a TB transformation programme to oversee that work. <BR />In addition, alongside my counterpart in the Republic of Ireland, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, I will be launching an innovative cross-border regionalisation initiative supported by Shared Island funding to tackle bovine TB.”
“Mr Speaker, with your permission, I will answer questions 6 and 7 together. <BR /> <BR />The surveillance of bovine TB in the badger population in Northern Ireland is primarily collected through my Department's road traffic accident survey. Over the past five years, the survey has indicated that TB prevalence in badgers is at a steady rate of around 19%, rather than there being a new or emerging outbreak. In April last year, the TB stakeholder body that I established on the recommendation of our Chief Veterinary Officer produced a new blueprint for tackling bovine TB here. I was pleased to endorse the blueprint, which includes actions on the role played by wildlife as one of three pillars of eradication alongside cattle and people measures.”
“There is a range of powers in the legislation to deal with the issue. As I have outlined, reporting fly-tipping and illegal dumping to the council or the Northern Ireland Environment Agency is the most fundamental thing that people can do to enable a prompt follow-up. Over the weekend, people contacted me on Facebook to report concerns about water pollution. When I asked whether they had reported it, they said no. People need to report issues promptly to enable investigation.”
“I am happy to speak to the Member afterwards or to correspond with him about the incident that he referenced. There are resourcing challenges in my Department; I have been open about that. We have over 800 vacancies in the Department, and that affects the Northern Ireland Environment Agency as it does other parts of the Department. However, if you have particular concerns, it is important to engage on them, and, if we have to engage with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), I am happy to do so.”
“Legislation is in place, and it is important that we learn from the recent Northern Ireland Audit Office report on the issue to ensure that our responses to the issue are effective.”
“I will have to come back to the Member with the figures, because they will need to be collated by the councils and us. <BR /> <BR />Waste crime in Northern Ireland has a cost. The biggest example of that is potentially one of the largest illegal dumps in Europe at Mobuoy just outside Derry, which will cost between £100 million and £700 million to remediate. It is important to have strong environmental governance in place so that we do not have a repeat of that. Part of that governance is an independent environmental protection agency. <BR /> <BR />There is a role for councils in relation to fly-tipping. I am disappointed that two councils have not signed up to the fly-tipping protocol; we will continue to encourage them to do so. We all have a role to play, and waste crime should not pay.”
“<BR /> <BR />The public consultation on policies for inclusion in the draft Bill ended on 6 November last year, and officials incorporated the analysis into the policy memorandum, which was agreed by the Executive in late December last year.”
“The Northern Ireland Environment Agency collaborates with organisations including the Joint Unit for Waste Crime (JUWC) and the organised crime task force, ensuring that there is coordinated, proactive action across agencies. <BR /> <BR />My Department is also seeking to increase the maximum penalties associated with waste offences that impact on the water environment. The draft fisheries and water environment Bill provides a legislative solution to ensure that there are consistent penalties across a range of legislation, including the Waste and Contaminated Land (Northern Ireland) Order 1997 and the Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999. That is necessary to deliver penalties that are robust, fair and proportionate to the offences committed. That supports actions that have been committed to in the Lough Neagh action plan.”
“The Northern Ireland Environment Agency's environmental crime unit (ECU) investigates and prosecutes serious waste crimes in Northern Ireland using its enforcement powers under the Waste and Contaminated Land (Northern Ireland) Order 1997. Criminal prosecutions may include confiscation under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 to ensure that offenders do not profit and to enforce the "polluter pays principle". To strengthen its enforcement capability, the ECU is recruiting specialist staff and investing in accredited training to embed best practice. The NIEA also works closely with councils through an established fly-tipping protocol. <BR /> <BR />A multi-agency approach remains central to tackling illegal waste activity.”
“I will need to check the figures, because I do not have them in front of me. I will write to the Member on that.”
“If the Member wants, I am happy to review that target. It is important that we get the payments out on time. I thank staff for delivering 98% of payments on the first day last year. <BR /> <BR />I will say one thing to the House. We have only a draft Budget, and it is a draft Budget that was issued for consultation by the Finance Minister, rather than being agreed by the Executive. Without a Budget in place, I am seeking guidance from officials on whether I can set entitlements and do farm payments in the next financial year. People need to be cognisant of the need for us to work together to set a Budget for the year ahead so that I can assure the farming community of those payments.”
“My Department's 2025-26 business plan includes a commitment to deliver 95% of payments for live farm-based schemes accurately and on time to eligible businesses. I am pleased to report that that commitment was not only achieved but exceeded. In 2025, 98% of payments under the farm sustainability transition payment (FSTP) and the beef carbon reduction (BCR) scheme were issued on the first day of payment, totalling over £260 million to farm businesses. <BR /> <BR />Early decisions by the Executive on the final Budget and associated allocations to Departments will be needed to ensure that we can maintain that record for 2026-27. My officials are working hard to prepare for another timely delivery following final decisions on the make-up of the Executive's 2026-27 Budget.”
“Alongside that, we are doing work on plastic pollution, because its wider environmental impact needs to be addressed.”