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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“Thank you, Diana. That is a really important message. We trade on the basis of people's confidence in our agri-food industry. Bluetongue does not affect humans, so there are no human or public health implications. There is no risk of the disease being contracted or spread through meat or milk. Let me be very clear on that.”
“There are already restrictions on movements from GB to NI. Since I took up office in February of last year, there has been a request for us to ease those. I am not doing that, because I am aware of the risk to our agri-food sector in Northern Ireland. We have a risk-based approach to everything that we do. Movements into Northern Ireland are very limited and are even further limited within the temporary control zone. It is important that we comply with the restrictions. We will monitor the situation in the time ahead. We are coming towards the end of the vector-borne season — hopefully, the colder weather will help us — but that does not rule out further infection. That is why it is important that we abide by the restrictions put in place on Saturday evening.”
“Further samples have been sent to UK and EU laboratories, so work will be undertaken on those. In addition, we have increased the amount of surveillance in our local abattoirs. We have set out traps for midges, which we will test. Extra blood samples are being taken not just from the herd in which the animals were detected but from the broader area. We are stepping up that surveillance. We are also asking for increased vigilance and for farmers, if they see anything of concern, to report it to us immediately. If there are any sick animals, they should isolate them immediately.”
“They are about being able to manage any potential spread of the virus, and that is a key part of our disease control framework in Northern Ireland.”
“Thank you, Connie. There is a map on the DAERA website detailing the temporary control zone. I encourage Members to view it and to make their constituents aware of it. It is a 20-kilometre control zone from a holding near the Bangor area. Those who view the map will see that it extends beyond County Down. For example, it goes into east Antrim and the Belfast area. It is important that people acquaint themselves with it. The Department is making contact with farmers in the area by email and text. The rules associated with this situation are pretty simple: there are no permitted moves except for those direct to slaughter. A form is available from the DAERA website that can be downloaded and brought to the abattoir when that slaughter is about to be undertaken. It is important that people are aware of the reasons for that.”
“It is absolutely key that we do that. The Department is supporting farmers through the work of the veterinary service. Additional information is on the DAERA website. Together, we will get through this over the time ahead.”
“Thank you, Stephen. I am aware of the impact of the restrictions, which you outlined. There is the capacity for direct export to slaughter. A form is needed for that, and it is available on the DAERA website. The focus now has to be on vigilance. We in the Department are working on increased testing so that we can follow through on our framework in response to the situation, and then we can move out of the control zone. That is where our focus is at the moment. <BR /> <BR />Let us hope that we are not in this situation for an extended period. That will rely on us all working together. I know the impact that this will have on the farming community. In order for us to best serve the farming community in Northern Ireland and ensure the ongoing success of our agri-food industry, we must be compliant with the regulations.”
“As I outlined in my statement, I made the decision to make the vaccines available in Northern Ireland. The decision is for individual farmers to take in conjunction with advice from their private veterinary practitioner, and I encourage them to do it. The most immediate focus has to be the eradication of the virus in Northern Ireland.”
“As Minister, my focus in the situation now has to be on dealing with the consequences of the positive samples that have come through. The best way that we can secure the future of the agri-food industry in Northern Ireland is by moving fast and hard in response to those samples. My officials have been doing that. They did it all day on Saturday and Sunday, until late last night, and again from first thing this morning. That is what we must do, and that is what will secure the future of the agri-food industry.”
“People can download the form, and, if they bring it with their livestock to the abattoir, it should cover them.”
“Thank you, John. I was immediately in contact with my counterpart in the South, Martin Heydon, when the results came through on Saturday evening. I spoke to him yesterday, and we will continue our engagement as Ministers. There is also significant engagement between veterinary service colleagues, North and South, on the issue. It is a threat to our agri-food industry in the island of Ireland, and it is important that we respond accordingly. That is what we are doing. Beyond that, we need to work together as politicians and with the farming community in Northern Ireland so that we have one collective and clear message that a control zone is in place and only moves direct to slaughter are permitted. A form for that is available from the DAERA website.”
“It is conducting additional blood samples of other herds and the affected herd. Traps for midges are being set, and we are going to be testing those. There is also additional abattoir surveillance. Hopefully, through those collective actions, we can progress to eradication. <BR /> <BR />I am very conscious that it is a worrying time for the farming community in Northern Ireland. I did not want to have to come the Assembly about this, especially at this time of year, when we had hoped that we were out of the vector-borne season, but it is important that we respond collectively, and I think that we will.”
“First, on how it came about, there are ongoing investigations. It is spread by midges, so it is a bit more difficult to totally ascertain. It is relatively cold weather now, but Members will probably remember that, a few weeks ago, it was relatively warm, so that risk has existed in Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />On the risk of bluetongue going beyond that herd, the guide, which I have been going through all weekend, is the disease control framework, and we will work through that in our response. The most effective way to avoid it spreading is to set up control zones and to limit movements and for farmers to be vigilant. If they suspect bluetongue, it is important that they immediately report it and isolate any sick animals. The Department is taking a number of actions in its response.”
“As Minister, I take the issue very seriously. When the positive test was confirmed on Saturday evening, the Department rolled into action in its response to it, and rightly so. I have also spoken to my counterpart in the South because we are one single epidemiological area, and that is why it is important that we work together on it. We have a policy in place in relation to compensation. It states:”
“My engagement with the Ulster Farmers' Union has shown that we are in this together, and we are going to work together on it.”
“As Minister, I made a decision to allow farmers to have access to the vaccines. That is a decision for them. They are available, and farmers can take advice from their private veterinary practitioner in relation to their uptake. The focus now has to be on eradication. That is why we set up the temporary control zone and why movements are only permitted directly to slaughter, and there is a form available on the DAERA website to facilitate that. Additional testing is under way by the Department. <BR /> <BR />Together, I think that we can stamp it out, but it is important that we all work collectively on the issue and stand united on one message that the temporary control zone and the understanding of it must be respected, and I am sure that it will be.”
“I will keep in close contact with colleagues in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland. <BR /> <BR />In the time ahead, I appeal to all farmers to immediately notify the Department of any suspicions of BTV so that appropriate action can be taken. A large range of material is available on the DAERA website, including pictures of the clinical signs and next steps if an incursion is suspected. I also remind the public that, while bluetongue is extremely serious for animal health and productivity, it is not zoonotic, and there are no public health or food concerns. <BR /> <BR />I will ensure that updates are provided, as necessary, to my Executive colleagues and also, importantly, the AERA Committee in the first instance. I will be happy to return to the House if there are any further significant and serious developments in the time ahead.”
“<BR /> <BR />It is important to note that only when further veterinary investigations take place, in addition to a further assessment of potential midge activity, can decisions be made about how long the temporary control zone will remain in place, how long trade restrictions may last, whether any further zones need to be established and how long the current ban on movements within the zone will last. Officials will, therefore, keep affected farmers and the wider industry regularly updated with timely communications. That will include convening a wider stakeholder and industry meeting later today to update them on the current situation. I have also had direct discussions with my counterpart in the South, Minister Heydon, and I plan to discuss the matter with DEFRA colleagues at the earliest opportunity.”
“<BR /> <BR />The suspected incursion is worrying, and I have outlined to officials my determination that all necessary steps are taken to mitigate any further risks and that all efforts are made to stamp out the disease. My Department will, therefore, immediately test all the remaining cattle and sheep on the affected farm. The results from that testing will further inform actions. In addition, a range of surveillance activities will be progressed in the temporary control zone and will include a ban on any moves except to slaughter. Twenty large farms, randomly spread across the area, will be tested to determine the extent of spread, if any, within the zone.”
“Breeding and production moves will not be permitted either from or to farms that are in the control zone. Animal moves to Great Britain are all suspended while immediate discussions are held between officials to agree on the requirements for moves for slaughter and breeding and production in line with those available to the rest of the UK. As Members will appreciate, this is a developing situation, and we expect clarity on those movements imminently after the necessary meetings take place today. Germ plasm movements out of the zone are not permitted unless they satisfy testing and biosecurity requirements. Furthermore, the effects on the movement of products of animal origin should be minimal. Some individual export certificates may be dependent on bluetongue freedom, but those will be limited in number.”
“Any holdings that are identified as having received animals from the affected farm will be subject to surveillance and testing if required. <BR /> <BR />The Department has issued a press release and updated the departmental website with further information on BTV, with specific information for farmers who are in the temporary control zone. The Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) and officials met the Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU) last night to discuss the situation, and they are directly contacting all farmers in the area by text and email. Further communications will be considered in the coming days, and the most up-to-date information will be available on the DAERA website. <BR /> <BR />As our BTV-free status has now been suspended, moves of live animals to the Republic of Ireland and the EU can be permitted only for direct slaughter.”
“Moves direct to slaughter are permitted under a general licence, which is available on my Department's website. It should be noted that such moves are, in part, being permitted as the advice indicates that the risk is minimal. That is because it is likely that we are nearly, if not already, in the vector low period, which means that midges cannot spread the disease in the colder weather. The further capture of midges will allow us to confirm that over the coming days. <BR /> <BR />In addition, DAERA officials were on-site on Saturday morning and confirmed that there were no clinical signs in any of the remaining cattle or sheep on the farm, nor were there any clinical signs in the animals that were sampled at the abattoir. Officials are also tracing any animals that moved on or off the farm during the risk window from 1 October 2025.”
“Due to those initial results, as outlined in the framework, a 20-kilometre temporary control zone (TCZ) was immediately introduced around the affected farm on the same day, Saturday 29 November. It should be noted that the samples are now subject to confirmatory testing at the Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI) in Germany, the EU reference laboratory and the UK national reference laboratory (NRL) at Pirbright before disease can be either confirmed or definitely ruled out. <BR /> <BR />The immediate disease control restrictions that are now in place mean that moving susceptible species, such as cattle, sheep, goats, deer and llamas and alpacas, on or off premises in the zone and on the affected farm is now prohibited while officials carry out further investigations.”
“That, along with the actions that I have just mentioned, complement the immediate follow-up of any reported cases with veterinary investigation to negate concerns or declare a suspicion.”
“In addition, as Members will be aware, I took the further decision in July of this year to permit the voluntary use of three bluetongue serotype 3 vaccines in Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />I turn now to the suspect case. On Saturday 29 November, the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute indicated that two of three cattle samples submitted to the laboratory on 18 November were positive for bluetongue. Neither animal was vaccinated. The samples came from a cattle and sheep farm near Bangor, County Down. I take the opportunity to thank the affected farmer for his ongoing cooperation during such a difficult time. The suspect BTV positive was picked up because of the enhanced surveillance-testing protocol at all Northern Ireland abattoirs, which was introduced in June 2024.”
“They include existing post-import testing for ruminant and camelid animals imported from mainland Europe, with one or more tests required, depending on origin and pregnancy status; midge surveillance carried out by the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) across seven Northern Ireland sites in spring and autumn to detect start and end of vector-active season; and horizon scanning of the mainland Europe, Great Britain and Republic of Ireland BTV disease picture to be aware of heightened risk, learn lessons from other authorities and tailor our approach, as required. The framework also outlined our surveillance-testing protocol, which was reinforced last year to include more comprehensive sampling, including EDTA sampling, to facilitate PCR testing of serology positives.”
“The use of approved unauthorised vaccines in England and Wales does not impact on that. <BR /> <BR />In seeking to progress actions to protect Northern Ireland, I agreed in June of this year to publish DAERA's disease control framework for Northern Ireland for bluetongue virus BTV-3. The framework presents DAERA's surveillance in response to a heightened disease risk of BTV with respect to serotypes — otherwise known as "strain types" — without an approved vaccine and for those with vaccines that have been authorised by the EU in exceptional circumstances. Developed in close cooperation with industry, it details the range of existing and ongoing measures to prevent and detect early disease introduction.”
“Animal-to-animal transmission is not a significant method of spread, except through the transplacental route, and germ plasm is also involved in the spread. The species of midge that carries the infection is found in Northern Ireland. Bluetongue can reduce milk yield, cause sickness and reduce reproductive performance. While it can also have major trade impacts, it is a disease of animals, not humans, so there are no public health or food safety issues. <BR /> <BR />As Members will be aware, there have been a significant number of BTV cases across England and Wales in recent years. The total number of cases since July 2025 is 228. There have been no cases in Scotland or the Republic of Ireland. As a result, direct movement of all live ruminants and camelids from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is still suspended.”
“Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker, for the opportunity to make a statement to the Assembly on the recent suspect case of the bluetongue virus (BTV) in Northern Ireland. I intend to use the statement to update Members on the current state of BTV incursion across the UK; the suspect case of BTV at a farm near Bangor, County Down; the immediate disease control actions that have been taken by my Department and next steps; and key measures for industry at this worrying time. <BR /> <BR />Bluetongue is an insect-borne viral disease to which all species of ruminants are susceptible, although sheep are most severely affected. Often, cattle and goats that appear healthy can carry high levels of the virus and provide a source of further infection. The disease is caused by a virus that is transmitted by certain species of biting midges.”
“It will also impact on officials' ability to take forward work on future support for the sheep sector and on the continued development and delivery of other key sustainable agricultural programme schemes, such as Farming with Nature. <BR /> <BR />In conclusion, I highlight a point that was raised in the debate: the work that my Department continues to do on agriculture often relates to Brexit. The requirement to have this debate and to put the regulations in place is a direct outworking of Brexit. I will continue to focus on solutions and deliver for the farming community of Northern Ireland. I commend the regulations to the House.”
“Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. I thank everyone for the debate on the regulations. As I said at the outset, these regulations are essential to ensuring that I can deliver for our farming community by opening the farm sustainability payment as planned on 2 March 2026. They deliver on policy proposals that were consulted on and decisions that were announced in 2022. Some may look back at Hansard to see those announcements and reacquaint themselves with them. <BR /> <BR />Failure to approve the regulations does not mean that I can revert to the FSTP scheme that was delivered in 2025. Considerable work will be necessary, which will inevitably result in a delay in opening the scheme in 2026, with unavoidable delays in payments to farm businesses in 2026.”
“<BR /> <BR />That concludes my overview of the Farm Sustainability Payment Scheme (Eligibility etc) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025. I thank the officials who have engaged with the Committee to date on what is a complicated area of legislation, and I am happy to answer any questions that may arise as a result of the debate.”
“The mandatory, on-the-spot checks inspection rate has been removed and replaced with a requirement for my Department to define the rate, as land eligibility controls will be carried out using remote sensing techniques, thereby completely removing that requirement. <BR /> <BR />The regulations remove penalties that exceed 100% of the payment due in respect of what were previously area-based payments under pillar 2 of the common agricultural policy, chiefly, agrienvironment and forestry payments. Those penalties apply to a very small number of businesses and were complicated to administer, as they involved a deduction to payments in following years. Finally, the regulations simplify the requirements regarding control reports for farm sustainability standard checks.”
“The technical changes included in the regulations define the order in which my Department will apply scheme penalties, as follows: first, the over-declaration penalty, which includes duplicate fields; then, the late claim penalty; then, conditionality reductions; and, finally, farm sustainability standards (FSS) penalties. Under-declaration and late fee penalties have been removed, and the penalty for over-declaration of land has been increased from 1·5 times the difference found to twice the difference found. Preliminary checks will no longer be mandatory. My Department retains the authority to implement other checks, as required.”
“A third conditionality of participation in the carbon footprinting project is also planned. That conditionality is not included in the regulations as the timeline for roll-out of the project has still to be set. The regulations reset the two-year entitlement confiscation rule from the commencement of the scheme, meaning that no entitlements will be confiscated for non-activation in 2026 because the FSTP and the FSP schemes are being treated as two separate schemes”
“The regulations also legislate that penalties for failure to meet FSP scheme conditionalities should be applied concurrently.”
“SRG is providing industry leadership and is working with my Department to deliver several key functions, including the supply of industry data and the promotion and marketing of the project to producers and other stakeholders. <BR /> <BR />The bovine genetics conditionality requires farm businesses with bovine animals to register for the project and complete the training offered to them by the close of the single application form window on 15 May 2028. As with the soil nutrient health scheme, there is conditionality for farm businesses that are not compliant at that stage. The regulations legislate that a 10% reduction will be applied to their farm sustainability payment in 2028. That reduction will be increased to 15% for continued non-compliance in 2029 and will continue to be applied at 15% until the conditionality has been met.”
“The bovine genetics project is of significant interest to industry and government due to the benefits of breeding animals with improved health and welfare, enhanced production and efficiency, a lower carbon footprint and lower pollution potential. Genetic improvement is identified as a key measure in the bovine tuberculosis Northern Ireland blueprint for eradication. It is also one of the measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the draft climate action plan 2023-27 and is one of the mitigations identified in the draft ammonia strategy. My Department is delivering the project in partnership with the agri-food industry through a not-for-profit company called Sustainable Ruminant Genetics Limited (SRG).”
“The information provided by the scheme will allow farm businesses to better target the application of crop nutrients, reduce nutrient waste and help to increase farm profitability. To meet the conditionality, farm businesses must have registered for the soil nutrient health scheme and completed the training offered to them by the close of the single application form window on 15 May 2027. For farm businesses that are not compliant at that stage, the regulations legislate that a 10% reduction will be applied to their farm sustainability payment in 2027. That reduction will be increased to 15% for continued non-compliance in 2028 and will continue to be applied at 15% until the conditionality has been met. <BR /> <BR />The second planned conditionality is participation in the bovine genetics project (BGP).”
“The regulations legislate that, in order to receive their full payment and to ensure that farm businesses gain the maximum benefit from the schemes, applicants to the FSP scheme will be required to meet the following conditionalities to drive the uptake of data schemes that are critical for soil health, carbon management and genetic improvement. The conditionalities will be phased in. <BR /> <BR />The first conditionality is participation in the soil nutrient health scheme (SNHS). That scheme has been developed to assist farm businesses in planning their farm nutrient management more effectively. It will help to facilitate improvements to our water environment and future platform for carbon measures.”
“Consequently, the regulations require applicants to the FSP scheme to carry out agricultural activity on at least 3 hectares of land used to activate entitlements. However, where an applicant submits a claim for fewer than 5 hectares, they must carry out agricultural activity on at least 2 hectares of land. <BR /> <BR />To ensure equality across schemes, the land eligibility rules introduced by the regulations will also apply to environmental farming scheme (EFS) higher agreements made by my Department before the date on which the regulations come into operation.”
“The objective of the revised rules is to establish practical land eligibility rules that complement the FSP scheme's objectives and that can be easily understood and efficiently and effectively controlled. The regulations include a list of features and land use types that will be ineligible for the FSP scheme, such as building sites, public and private gardens, public parks, golf courses and airstrips. To support the simplified land eligibility rules and mitigate any unintended consequences, the regulations amend the eligibility requirements for the FSP scheme to state that only active farmers undertaking agricultural activity are eligible to apply. They must also have management control of the land used to activate the entitlements.”
“By introducing progressive capping, my intention is to strike a balance between providing a safety net that helps a farm business to withstand shocks that are beyond its ability to manage risk effectively and dampening the incentive to be efficient and competitive and to manage risk proactively. <BR /> <BR />The decision to introduce progressive capping of FSP payments was announced in 2022, giving businesses time to adjust. In addition, progressive capping is being introduced over two years, with 50% of final capping deductions being introduced in the first year and full implementation in the second year. Phasing that in over two years will allow farm businesses time to adapt. <BR /> <BR />The regulations also introduce simplified land eligibility rules for the FSP scheme compared with those that were in place previously.”
“The Farm Sustainability Payment Scheme (Eligibility etc) Regulations introduce progressive capping of the FSP payments, phased in over two-year period, for payments over £60,000, with capping levels increasing in bands based on the size of payments. <BR /> <BR />As I stated, the policy intent of FSP is to provide agricultural support to act as a balance between providing a safety net that will help a farm business to withstand shocks that are beyond its ability to manage effectively and encouraging farm businesses to become more environmentally sustainable, efficient and resilient. High support payments can encourage unwarranted risk-taking and reduce the incentive to manage risk within a farm business.”
“Following further consultation with the AERA Committee and stakeholders, I decided that the minimum claim size for FSP will remain at three hectares. Applicants to the FSP scheme in 2026 will therefore need to activate three entitlements on three hectares of eligible land to meet FSP requirements. <BR /> <BR />The historical years requirement was included in the Farm Sustainability (Transitional Provisions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025, which were made earlier this year. The regulations being debated today amend the transitional regulations and clarify that businesses that do not meet the historical years requirement will not be eligible for the FSP scheme in 2026 only and that their entitlements may be transferred only to an existing eligible farm business.”
“The Farm Sustainability Payment Scheme (Eligibility etc) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 will give my Department the legal powers to introduce the farm sustainability payment and the various elements outlined with effect from 1 January 2026. <BR /> <BR />By way of background, a consultation exercise on the proposed farm sustainability payment scheme, along with other elements of future agricultural policy, was undertaken in late 2021, and the responses informed policy decisions that were announced by my predecessor in March 2022. Any decisions that I have taken subsequently in relation to scheme requirements are intended to have a positive impact on FSP applicants and the wider agricultural community. For example, one decision had been to increase the minimum claim size for FSP from three hectares to five hectares.”
“The FSP, which is expected to attract approximately 22,000 applications annually, will act as a balance between providing a safety net that will help a farm business to withstand shocks that are beyond its ability to manage effectively and encouraging farm businesses to become more environmentally sustainable, efficient and resilient. <BR /> <BR />The introduction of FSP will see the roll-out of the following key policy changes: implementation of the historical years exercise; progressive capping; new land eligibility rules; new farm sustainability standards to replace cross-compliance; and the introduction of conditionalities.”
“I am grateful for the opportunity to propose the motion. By way of background, the sustainable agriculture programme (SAP) represents a bespoke programme of farm support that is targeted to meet the needs of Northern Ireland and seeks to implement policies and strategies that benefit the environment and support our economically significant agri-food sector. <BR /> <BR />The sustainable agriculture programme has been developed with a range of agriculture and environment stakeholders, including the agricultural policy stakeholder group (APSG), which has brought robustness to the development process. As part of the roll-out of the sustainable agriculture programme, the farm sustainability payment (FSP) scheme is planned for introduction in 2026 and will replace the current farm sustainability transition payment (FSTP).”
“We need to take action to address the impacts of climate change. Doing nothing is not an option. The cost of inaction, economically, socially and environmentally, is significant, Northern Ireland is already experiencing the effects of climate change: the rise in temperatures, increased rainfall, more frequent flooding and biodiversity loss. These trends are projected to intensify, threatening food security, public health and the resilience of our rural and urban communities. It is important that we take action, and that is what I seek to do.”
“As Minister, I am committed to improving our resilience to climate change. I will shortly bring Northern Ireland's third climate adaptation programme to the Executive for their agreement to publish. The programme sets out the details of over 250 actions that Departments and key stakeholders are to deliver over the coming five years. Whilst the lead departmental responsibility for flooding sits with my colleague in the Department for Infrastructure, my Department is leading on a number of significant areas to help alleviate flooding. They include the restoration of peatlands, planting new forests and the sustainable management of our soils. It is important that we adapt and improve resilience to the impacts of climate change in Northern Ireland.”