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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“We will be engaging with the Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee in the time ahead on the roll-out. If Members have concerns, I ask them to contact me or officials. I am happy to discuss their concerns with them. It is key that we get the farm sustainability payment and the associated farm sustainability standards in place. Once we are able to get that payment in place, the focus will turn to diverting the resources that have been put in place to get funding out the door to deliver Farming with Nature and also sheep support. <BR /> <BR />It is absolutely critical that we assist farmers with nature-friendly farming. That is something that I heard very clearly at Fields Good, the regenerative agriculture festival, at the weekend. It is something that farmers want to see scaled up and rolled out.”
“The sustainable agriculture programme is a fundamental intervention from my Department that is worth around £300 million. I managed to secure that funding for this year and future years, and we are the only part of the UK in which that funding is ring-fenced. It was lost in other parts of the UK, and I am determined to ensure that it delivers benefits for farming in Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />A key part of the funding was for the delivery of the farm sustainability transition payment (FSTP) last week. We are now focused on the next delivery phase of the sustainable agriculture programme, which will be the farm sustainability payment (FSP). That will be rolled out from 1 January 2026. It is absolutely critical that we do that, because entitlements have been traded on the basis of its coming into place.”
“In the time ahead, we will be able to commence the consultation and get people's views on wildlife intervention in order to allow us to tackle TB in Northern Ireland. Alongside that, we are taking measures on people and cattle, and there are further measures that we want to explore with stakeholders so that we can drive down instances of TB, because the levels are not sustainable for farming in Northern Ireland or for my Department.”
“I thank the Member for her question. It is an important issue, because it affects farmers in Northern Ireland, particularly their mental health. It is a key priority for my Department. We outlined a blueprint for the way forward, and I commend everyone who took part in the stakeholder group, which allowed us to set out that blueprint. Its implementation is key. <BR /> <BR />It is based on three pillars: people, cattle and wildlife. Let me be crystal clear today that a wildlife intervention strategy is not optional. Rather, it must occur. We must have wildlife intervention on TB. My officials are pulling together a strategy so that we can proceed with it. We need to make sure when we go out to consult on it that it is done correctly.”
“Officials engage North/South, and there has been particular engagement in the areas that the Member outlined. We want to redouble our efforts on that. We have launched a Shared Island bioeconomy initiative, and we are moving towards recruitment of people to take that forward. The benefit of the Shared Island initiative is that we can work North/South. We have common challenges, and there are few differences North/South, so we want to redouble our efforts and base them on the PEACE PLUS and Shared Island initiatives. We will come to the Committee to outline that.”
“<BR /> <BR />TB therefore remains at the top of my ministerial priorities, and I look forward to engaging further with Minister Heydon on that most challenging subject in the time ahead. A number of items of work are under way that we hope to bring to fruition in the period ahead. I assure the Member that TB is a priority and that, on North/South cooperation, we are looking at ways of redoubling our efforts and doing something that is meaningful for farmers on the ground.”
“Consequently, I welcome efforts to deepen those close working relationships, especially the new initiatives at Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) level, as part of a wider effort to place TB at the top of the disease control agenda across the UK and Ireland. <BR /> <BR />As Minister, I have heard first-hand on numerous occasions of the devastating impact that bovine TB breakdowns can have on farm businesses. I am extremely conscious of the rising cost of controlling the disease and the impact of that on my departmental budget. I am also conscious of the impact on farmers and of the fact that a 100% compensation rate does not mean reimbursement of the full costs to farmers.”
“Thank you, Daniel. Dealing with TB and its prevalence in Northern Ireland is a key priority for my Department. It is set out as one of the key priorities for the mandate. Officials work closely with colleagues in the South on the bovine TB programmes in both jurisdictions at the regular North/South meetings and through frequent engagement throughout the year. Whilst TB disease rates have been rising on both sides of the border, I am conscious that the position in the Republic of Ireland is significantly better than that in Northern Ireland, although that does not bring any benefit to farmers in the South.”
“I look forward to working with my counterparts in the South in all areas of cooperation in the agriculture sector. I commend the statement to the Assembly and welcome any questions.”
“Ministers noted the cooperation between the two jurisdictions on rural development, including strong engagement on scoping a potential expansion of connected hubs across both jurisdictions. The Council noted that officials will continue to share information and best practice on rural development and to enhance cooperation on that issue and that they will bring forward updates to future NSMC agriculture meetings. <BR /> <BR />The NSMC welcomed the continuing cooperation between both Administrations on the ongoing work to improve farm safety. The Council noted the commitment of the farm safety partnerships from both jurisdictions to meet at least annually and cooperate on efforts to improve farm safety. <BR /> <BR />The Council agreed to hold its next agriculture meeting in autumn 2025.”
“The NSMC agreed that officials from DAFM and DAERA would continue to explore the possibility of sharing design approaches and implementation as well as lessons learned from DAFM's introduction of its national fertiliser database in September 2023. <BR /> <BR />On cooperation on rural development, the Council welcomed the continued work of the North/South rural policy forum, noting that the latest meeting of the forum included discussions on policy developments that are being progressed by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht (DRCDG) and DAERA; the PEACE PLUS programme; voluntary and community sector supports; and updates on the connected hubs feasibility study.”
“<BR /> <BR />Ministers welcomed the announcement of a €9 million funding initiative to support the development of bioeconomy in the agriculture and marine sectors, with co-funding from the Government of Ireland's Shared Island initiative, DAFM and DAERA, and they welcomed ongoing consideration by DAFM and DAERA of further possibilities for research collaboration under existing or new measures. <BR /> <BR />The Council welcomed the ongoing cooperation between both Administrations on addressing climate change and loss of biodiversity in the agriculture sector. Ministers welcomed a key action in the Lough Neagh report and action plan recommending the introduction of a fertiliser database in Northern Ireland to record fertiliser movements along the supply chain as well as improve nutrient management and efficiency.”
“Ministers noted that nine projects involving total funding of €10·12 million have been funded over the nine years of the US-Ireland R&D Partnership in agriculture, and they noted the progress that has been made on funding projects in both jurisdictions under the DAFM national competitive calls, including €22·5 million by DAFM and £7·3 million by DAERA for 22 projects since 2021. The NSMC welcomed the work that is under way by the co-centre programme, which is a strategic collaborative partnership between Ireland, Great Britain and Northern Ireland that is co-funded by industry and that will consolidate research activities across higher education and research institutes in co-hosted centres.”
“The Council noted the continuing cooperation through the North/South pesticides group on the regulation on the placing on the market and use of pesticides. <BR /> <BR />The Council acknowledged the good collaboration between DAERA and DAFM on maximising the drawdown of EU funding under Horizon Europe and welcomed the €5·6 million of funding that has been secured to date by successful applications from Ireland and Northern Ireland for projects in the food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture and environment sectors under Horizon Europe.”
“Ministers noted the ongoing collaboration and sharing of expertise that was demonstrated in particular through the UK and Ireland plant health coordination group meeting, which DAFM hosted in July 2024. The Council welcomed the joint DAERA/DAFM simulation exercise to test plant health contingency plans that took place in December 2024. Ministers also welcomed the continued cooperation and opportunities that are being explored for further joint research as a result of DAERA's visit to Backweston laboratories in December 2024. The North/South Ministerial Council welcomed the continued cooperation on laboratory expertise, including the recent designation of the DAFM laboratory by DAERA as an official laboratory for carrying out analysis, tests and diagnosis of pesticide residues in or on food.”
“The Council noted the work that is under way in both jurisdictions to reduce the prevalence of bovine TB across the island and agreed that officials should engage further to explore fully how best that can be achieved. The North/South Ministerial Council looked forward to the continuation of practical and effective cooperation on animal health and welfare and disease control in both jurisdictions in order for the health and welfare of livestock to be maintained at the highest level. <BR /> <BR />On cooperation on plant health and pesticides, the North/South Ministerial Council welcomed the ongoing commitment of DAERA and DAFM to proactively take steps to deliver the shared objective of achieving and maintaining good plant health status on the island of Ireland.”
“<BR /> <BR />On cooperation on animal health, the Council noted that the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs intends to host in October 2025 a multi-agency practical exercise on humane slaughter contingency planning for an outbreak of an exotic disease, to which the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) will be invited. The North/South Ministerial Council acknowledged the ongoing efforts by officials from both jurisdictions to strengthen existing cooperation on animal health and welfare. Ministers recognised the ongoing risk posed to agri-food sectors by exotic diseases, such as avian influenza and bluetongue, and welcomed the ongoing engagement between both jurisdictions to protect the high animal health status on the island through coordinated protection measures.”
“I thank Pam and Aisling for coming to the meetings and for their constructive engagement on all the issues. It is greatly appreciated by both the Department and me. It was a very positive meeting, and a lot of progress was made. I will now take each paper in the order in which it was discussed. <BR /> <BR />On the review of the work programme, the North/South Ministerial Council noted the implementation of the revised work programme for the agriculture sector, as agreed by the Council in May 2024, and the ongoing engagement between both Administrations to identify areas of mutual interest and benefit in the agri-food sector that may also be included in the work programme. The Council noted that an update paper will be provided for consideration by Ministers at the next agriculture sectoral meeting.”
“With your permission, Mr Deputy Speaker, I wish to make a statement in compliance with section 52 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 on the twenty-ninth agriculture meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC), which was held in the NSMC joint secretariat offices in Armagh on Friday 20 June 2025. I feel as though I am repeating some of this. Junior Minister Aisling Reilly MLA, junior Minister Pam Cameron MLA and I represented the Northern Ireland Executive at the meeting. The Irish Government were represented by Martin Heydon TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and Dara Calleary TD, Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht. I chaired the meeting. This statement has been agreed with junior Ministers Reilly and Cameron, and I make it on behalf of us all.”
“That question was also raised by Tom. I am happy to write to you and say more about that, because I want to be able to set it out accurately. <BR /> <BR />I turn to the hatchery and your engagement with it. I have had quite a lot of letters about the hatchery, including one from my colleague Sian Mulholland, who is a Member for North Antrim. We are considering that matter. I had a really good engagement with the club representatives on site, and I am committed to working with people on conservation, whether that relates to fisheries or our environment. I was very impressed by what they outlined to me. Collectively, we can learn an awful lot more if we work together.”
“The immediate focus is on water quality and what is going into the lough, but you have, rightly, highlighted that issue, and I am happy to work with people on it.”
“I thank the Member for his question. The fact that Lough Neagh does not have a navigational body was, to me, an oversight at the time of negotiating the Good Friday Agreement. The good people negotiated a great agreement, but it is not perfect, and that was overlooked. I think that there would be merit in having a navigational body for Lough Neagh, whether it is Waterways Ireland, the Loughs Agency or another organisation.”
“I have proposals and will be looking for support for them, and I want to work with everyone on that. I look forward to meeting your party as well.”
“You rightly outline the impact that the environmental catastrophe at Lough Neagh is having more broadly on our rivers and marine environments. You talked about the closure of Benone beach, and that highlights why we need to take action on this together. We can turn the course when it comes to water quality, not just in our rivers but in Lough Neagh and elsewhere, but that requires us to come together collectively. We will talk a bit more about the issues this afternoon during the debate on the motion on Lough Neagh, but I am not focused on any blame game. I am focused on working with people, and my Department is writing, on my behalf, to all the party leaders to ask for meetings to discuss concerns and how we can collectively move forward on this.”
“<BR /> <BR />In addition, the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO) has agreed a new reporting format for parties to complete, which will provide details on the management of salmon stocks and outline what transformative conservation commitments will be undertaken over the next 10 years to address the decline in stocks in the jurisdiction. DAERA officials are liaising with the Loughs Agency on completing the first draft of the UK/Northern Ireland report, which is required to be submitted to NASCO by February 2026.”
“Data from the fish counters indicates that the River Faughan, the River Roe and the River Mourne are meeting conservation limits with enough regularity to permit the retention of a small number of fish per licence in 2025. <BR /> <BR />To help address the challenges facing salmon stocks, the agency has recently developed the first marine salmon management plan for Lough Foyle. The agency is also delivering a number of fisheries improvement projects, including the creation of new spawning habitats; fishery and habitat improvement and enhancement schemes to introduce and improve holding, spawning and nursery areas for Atlantic salmon; and riparian tree planting to create refuge and shading for salmon stocks and to lower water temperatures.”
“We have been off for the summer recess and are now back, and one thing that I have been looking forward to is my engagement with Justin, because you always get something a bit different. I can answer your question about salmon, but I will have to write to you about the other elements. <BR /> <BR />The Loughs Agency has made significant investments in fish counters and telemetry river gauges to facilitate the monitoring of salmon populations in its area. The River Finn failed to meet its conservation limit in 2024, as it has done since 2007. As a result, the commercial fishery remains closed in 2025, and the River Finn is catch and release only.”
“A number of areas were covered in the presentation. I am happy for it to be shared with you, if you would find it useful. Carlingford lough is a special place for the communities around it. There are also transboundary issues on which we need to cooperate. That was the focus, and the fact that the Loughs Agency has new premises there is a welcome commitment in that regard. I am happy to share that with you and to discuss any issues that you have.”
“The Loughs Agency has developed a climate action plan that maps organisational-level climate risks and impacts, supports a shift away from high-carbon energy, addresses climate adaptation for the organisation and supports climate-resilient solutions for the catchments of Lough Foyle and Carlingford lough. Through the delivery of the climate action plan, the Loughs Agency will implement an agile, risk-based approach to climate adaptation across the Foyle and Carlingford catchment areas. The climate action plan allows the agency to be responsive to direct and indirect climate impacts, thus allowing it to prioritise and plan work programmes.”
“Belfast lough did not come up, but I am happy to answer your question. The focus is often on Lough Neagh, and we understand why. For the first time in history, the brown eel fishing season has been terminated. If that is not a message about the need for action, I do not know what is. We see the scenes on our TV screens every summer. Belfast lough is on course to become the next Lough Neagh. We are allowing sewage to be pumped into Belfast lough daily. That therefore requires me to step forward with proposals for stronger regulation and enforcement. It also requires brave political decisions to be taken on how we manage our waste water infrastructure. It is for the Infrastructure Minister to come forward in that regard, and I will not be found wanting in supporting any measures that do come forward.”
“The Loughs Agency plays a vital role in preventing future pollution events from occurring by adopting a holistic approach that is in keeping with the four pillars of education, incentivisation, regulation and enforcement and is laid out in the Lough Neagh action plan. That approach is key to meeting the strategic environmental outcomes as set out in the environmental improvement plan.”
“As Daniel McCrossan outlined, the Loughs Agency has powers in that regard. I am concerned about the number of pollution incidents in our rivers and loughs and the associated fish kills. When I am informed about them by officials, they cause me concern. There have been far too many times when officials have informed me of fish kills in Northern Ireland. So far this year, Loughs Agency fishery officers have investigated 128 pollution incidents. In 2025 to date, fishery officers in the Foyle and Carlingford areas have carried out 937 proactive watercourse inspections. The Loughs Agency has instigated a number of prosecution cases from its enforcement actions and has worked with the Police Service of Northern Ireland, an Garda Síochána, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) and other enforcement agencies to secure convictions.”
“I do not have any specific detail to give you now. I think that I have the detail in my mind, but I do not know whether it is entirely accurate. I will therefore write to you setting it out. If you have any concerns, I am happy to meet you to discuss them.”
“It is important that the Loughs Agency be able to avail itself of those tools.”
“Thank you, Andrew. I am aware of concerns about the levels of fines imposed for water pollution offences, particularly the maximum statutory fines. Fish kills within the Loughs Agency's jurisdiction are prosecuted under the Foyle Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1952, with a recent prosecution in relation to the River Muff. My officials are taking forward a review of fines and penalties for environmental crime, including water pollution offences, as part of the policy development phase of the proposed fisheries and water environment Bill. Loughs Agency staff have been involved in the policy development phase and have taken part in stakeholder engagement on water quality. The Bill will give us the tools to be able to deal with a lot of the concerns that have been raised with me of late.”
“The Loughs Agency operates on a relatively tight budget, and I know that it is doing a lot of good work. We examine its work at every meeting. I do not have additional concerns that it is inefficient, but if the Member has anything in particular on that, I can raise that with the agency.”
“Officials engage on that on a cross-border basis. It is important that we do that, and we have a number of initiatives that flow from that wider strategic commitment. However, we have to recognise that the border does not respect the issues regarding water quality. That is where we cooperate North/South, and at the Council meetings as well. There will be further work, because we are looking towards the fourth cycle of our river basin management strategy, and we need to cooperate North/South on that. North/South cooperation on water quality is absolutely fundamental.”
“The Loughs Agency has a focus on its territorial area, and that is what it focuses upon. I want to give it additional powers. There will, hopefully, be a fisheries and water environment Bill coming to the House, which will give the agency additional enforcement powers. I get the concerns in relation to the impact that pollution incidences have had, and that is something that we want to take forward. We also need to get the Loughs Agency budget agreed for the next financial year and going forward. North/South cooperation is beneficial to that, because it allows us to get good value for money and to deliver for the citizens of Northern Ireland. I will continue to work with the agency to ensure that it has sufficient budget in place.”
“They noted the work undertaken in water quality monitoring across both catchments to inform pollution responses, habitat improvement works and statutory environmental planning. They also noted the use of environment DNA (eDNA) techniques to identify the presence of invasive species. <BR /> <BR />The Council commended the Loughs Agency for its proactive response to address the impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss on priority fish species. The Council welcomed the agency's continued commitment to working collaboratively with partners to help to deliver a collective response to the dual challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss. <BR /> <BR />Finally, the Council agreed to hold its next aquaculture and marine meeting in autumn 2025.”
“The Council welcomed the update on the implementation of the science strategy framework, which is structured as a three-strand approach inclusive of salmonoids and other fish, native oysters and aquatic ecosystems for all science delivery at the Loughs Agency. Ministers noted ongoing work to improve the accuracy of fish counts in order to generate more robust data to better inform salmon conservation limits. The Council noted ongoing fish surveillance in compliance with water framework directive requirements. Ministers noted the potential for oyster surveys to provide the evidence base for consideration in relation to the sustainable operation of the Lough Foyle native oyster fishery.”
“The North/South Ministerial Council approved the Loughs Agency's revised business plan for 2024, and its business plan for 2025, and recommended the budget and grant provisions that had been agreed by both sponsoring Departments and Finance Ministers. The Council noted that the 2022 and 2023 Loughs Agency annual reports and accounts have been laid before the Northern Ireland Assembly and both Houses of the Oireachtas.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Council welcomed the presentation by the Loughs Agency on its strategic plan for its role in Carlingford. Ministers noted the agency's collaboration with Fáilte Ireland, Louth County Council, the Carlingford Vision '31 steering committee and other local stakeholders, which has facilitated the development of a suite of co-designed proposals that reflect the aspirations of the people of the region.”
“<BR /> <BR />The North/South Ministerial Council welcomed the report on the activities of the Loughs Agency, including the ongoing conservation and protection efforts, most notably the EU-funded projects with the aim of improving the monitoring of aquatic animals and species; fisheries improvements to create climate-resilient rivers, improve water quality and maximise fisheries productivity; and marine tourism to promote aquatic ecosystems and support local economies. <BR /> <BR />Ministers noted the success of the agency's international symposium on transboundary and collaborative water governance held in September 2024 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the agency. It brought together experts, policymakers and researchers, focusing on cross-border cooperation for the protection of water, aquatic and marine systems.”
“With your permission, Mr Deputy Speaker, in compliance with section 52 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, I wish to make a statement about the thirty-second meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in the aquaculture and marine sectoral format, which was held on Friday 4 July 2025. <BR /> <BR />The Executive were represented by junior Minister Cameron and junior Minister Reilly, as accompanying Ministers, and me, as lead Minister. The Irish Government were represented by Darragh O’Brien TD, Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, who chaired the Meeting. The statement has been agreed with junior Ministers Cameron and Reilly, and I make it on behalf of all of us.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, can you clarify what the next statement is, because there is aquaculture and agriculture?”
“I will need support from my Executive colleagues to ensure that there is equal and fair treatment across all the pollution elements regarding waste water pollution and the sewage that is going into our waterways. <BR /> <BR />There is also a fundamental issue about whether we are serious about governing Northern Ireland. I am; I am up for taking difficult decisions. Others will have to decide in the next number of months whether they are as well.”
“I have already addressed a number of the questions that the Member has outlined. There is no self-congratulatory tone from me. What unfolded over the summer was nothing short of a thundering disgrace. Year-on-year, we see the situation evolve on Lough Neagh, and, when I come to the House to look for support, I do not get it. Members need to support me in taking the difficult decisions. I welcome the constructive opposition that parties, including that of the Member through the recent motion, have given me, because we need to focus constructively on how to resolve this. <BR /> <BR />I have already outlined my view on the arrangements that are in place for waste water infrastructure.”
“I will work on a North/South basis on the issue and will continue to engage with my colleagues so that we can pull something together and deliver that on the ground. <BR /> <BR />The Member mentioned engagement with people. It is critical that we bring people with us. I will keep my focus on that issue.”
“They have initiatives down South that are broader than those in the North. We need to take learnings from those and see whether there is a way to expand them in the North as part of the sustainable catchment programme. <BR /> <BR />There are four pillars regarding the improvement of water quality in Lough Neagh and elsewhere: education, incentivisation, regulation and enforcement. Let us be clear: the focus ought to be on education and incentivisation, because it is much better if the problem does not occur in the first place. Yes, we need to have regulation and enforcement, but, if we have to resort to that, that is an example of failure. I want to invest in education and incentivisation, and that is why I need support from the Shared Island project, as I do not have the money in my budget to do it at present.”
“No problem, Linda. I was in County Monaghan last year, when we had a North/South conference around water quality in respect of agriculture and the good work that is being done down South and up North. <BR /> <BR />We have a sustainable catchment programme in Northern Ireland through which the Rivers Trust, which I met, delivers on-farm advisory support to farmers in the Upper Bann catchment area. I was impressed by that, but it needs to be broadened out. It is an action in the Lough Neagh action plan that the sustainable catchment programme be broadened out much more widely.”