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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“<BR /> <BR />NIEA staff are firmly at the front line of many current, high-profile environmental issues, working to address the ongoing threats to nature and water quality from a range of factors, including climate change, the pollution of our freshwater environment and the continued decline of our biodiversity. Their jobs are demanding and often challenging, and they frequently involve working out of hours and in difficult and sometimes dangerous situations. Any changes that we decide, in time, to introduce to strengthen environmental governance will build on the foundations laid by NIEA staff. I thank them for their commitment and dedication to our environment. <BR /> <BR />I now turn to the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP).”
“It has its own chief executive and accounting officer and has operational flexibility to operate within the legislative and policy parameters that exist, but it is certainly not independent; in fact, it has no separate legislative basis, and the powers and functions that it carries are carried in the name of the Department. That is the reality; it is not a criticism. It is really important that I make it clear that the many calls for a different environmental governance regime and, indeed, my desire to see one are absolutely no reflection on the dedication and commitment that I see every day in the staff of NIEA. They are public servants who continue to work tirelessly to protect and enhance our natural environment whilst regulating the activities that can adversely affect it.”
“Those included the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) functioning here, the preparation and publication of a statement on environmental principles and the obligation to produce an environmental improvement plan. Any proposals to improve environmental governance therefore need to be set in the context of that changed regulatory landscape. <BR /> <BR />I will say a little shortly about the component parts of the current landscape, but, first, I will say something about the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA). NIEA is an agency of my Department.”
“<BR /> <BR />Strengthening environmental governance has been and continues to be a key priority of mine since taking up ministerial office in the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. Like Lough Neagh, it is a complex issue that will not be fixed overnight. Optimal structures and processes need to be in place to enable positive environmental outcomes to be achieved. Prior to the UK leaving the EU, the majority of environmental policy development and implementation in DAERA was linked to transposing a wide range of EU directives into domestic legislation. The Environment Act 2021 brought in a range of environmental measures, including a new legal framework for environmental governance and accountability.”
“That is why we are absolutely committed to working with a wide range of voluntary advocate groups and industry representatives to address the challenges and ensure that we protect the environment for everyone who lives here. The implementation of the now-agreed environmental improvement plan (EIP), the Lough Neagh action plan and other policies that my Department is taking forward will make a difference, but there are no quick fixes. Undoubtedly, more could be done with more resources, and I will continue to make the case for investment in our environment. Today, however, is about oversight and accountability. It is about the steps that I am taking to highlight the need for tighter governance and to ensure that we understand the best model by which that can be secured.”
“They worry about the degradation of sites of environmental significance and about biodiversity loss, and they want to see greater protection for our environment and greater accountability. <BR /> <BR />The blue-green algae blooms that appeared in the summer and last year at Lough Neagh generated real concern and had a real impact, including on those who live along or earn their livelihood on the lough and its connected waterways. They have also been a wake-up call for us all. There has been a realisation that, for generations, we have not been good custodians of our environment and that that needs to change. <BR /> <BR />The environmental challenges that we face are complex and cannot be addressed in isolation by any one organisation.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to make a statement to the Assembly on my plans to review environmental governance in Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />Environmental governance is about ensuring that the decisions we make about how we protect and enhance our natural and marine environment are effective. They could be decisions on policy and regulation or on resourcing. Crucially, it is also about accountability: making sure that there is proper scrutiny and oversight of those decisions and accountability for the outcomes achieved as a result of their implementation. I am very conscious of the level of interest from Members and the wider public in how we address the increase in the environmental challenges that we face. People care deeply about our natural environment.”
“It is important that we set aside that money so that we can support rural communities in Northern Ireland. I look to the future with confidence, because we, as an Executive, can work together and deliver for people. <BR /> <BR />I thank the Member for securing the Adjournment debate. It has been constructive. It is important that rural communities in Northern Ireland are not forgotten, and that their voices are heard.”
“He will meet the Ulster Farmers' Union next Tuesday. The UK Government need to listen and act. <BR /> <BR />Westminster has removed the earmarking of funding from the next financial year. We are entering a new landscape. I totally get and fully appreciate the level of angst and concern among the farming community in Northern Ireland about the change. I have already spoken to the Finance Minister, and we have discussed the issue at the Executive. I am making a very strong case that, although the earmarking of funding may have been removed by Westminster, it is within the power of the Executive to earmark funding for agriculture, agrienvironment, rural development and fisheries locally. I will continue to make that case. We need to do that together as an Executive.”
“The decision to change the entitlements to agricultural property relief are causing real concern not just to me but to the farming community and rural communities across Northern Ireland. I have already raised that with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and urged a rethink. I support the Ulster Farmers' Union wholeheartedly in its campaign to urge that that decision be reversed. I will attend its rally next Monday night at the Eikon Exhibition Centre in Lisburn. It is important that the UK Government hear about the disproportionate impact that that will have on Northern Ireland. It is having a real impact on the mental health of farmers in Northern Ireland. The UK Government should listen. I am glad that the Secretary of State took up my request to engage with the Ulster Farmers' Union.”
“It is important to note that the policy development work that has been undertaken by my Department is about adopting a strategic and collaborative approach. We need to work together across Departments to deliver for rural communities. <BR /> <BR />I have some time left, so I will address the issues of inheritance tax and the earmarking of the budget, which a number of Members have raised in the Chamber today, and about which I talked to Patsy yesterday in the corridor. On inheritance tax and the changes to agricultural property relief, I have made it clear — I have been on the record and have been consistent in saying this — that the Budget that was announced on 30 October was a bad Budget for farmers.”
“Funding policies across my Department have an impact on rural communities and the wider rural economy. Although I do not have time to mention all the funding streams, I do not want to finish without talking about the valuable injection of funding into Mid Ulster. Each year, £26 million of direct payments are made to farmers. Another source of funding is the £25,000 grant for the Mid Ulster and Fermanagh and South Tyrone constituencies under the annual water quality improvement strand of the environment fund. There is also the funding that will come forward in projects under the Mid South West growth deal and investment areas of PEACE PLUS. <BR /> <BR />There is still more to be done, and I am committed to working collaboratively across government to do more.”
“Mid Ulster is very much on my mind today, and it will be again tomorrow. That transformation project was successfully completed with funding from the COVID small settlements initiative. The total project cost was £260,000, which included £127,000 from my Department.”
“When a budget for the next financial year is approved, I will allocate funds accordingly to initiatives that meet the TRPSI framework priority areas for intervention. That takes into account the priorities that have been outlined. <BR /> <BR />My Department has also been working with DFC and DFI to deliver the COVID recovery small settlements regeneration programme. From the £26·5 million of cross-departmental budget, £3·15 million has been allocated to Mid Ulster. During the 2024-25 year, that funding will deliver seven capital regeneration projects that have been identified by Mid Ulster District Council; a great example of local government determining local priorities. I look forward to attending a celebration event to launch one of those projects tomorrow in Manor Park in Moneymore.”
“It is too early to provide a breakdown of funds that have been allocated by specific council area, but I anticipate total funding to be in the region of £1·55 million to support the sustainability of rural microbusinesses. <BR /> <BR />Other regional initiatives, such as the continued funding for the Rural Support charity, which is based in Mid Ulster, the farm families health checks programme in conjunction with the Public Health Agency, and the assisted rural travel scheme in collaboration with the Department for Infrastructure, all positively impact on the lives of people in Mid Ulster. <BR /> <BR />My Department is undertaking an independent review of the TRPSI framework. That will inform us going forward. In the meantime, a TRPSI action plan for 2025-26 is being prepared for my consideration.”
“We got that out. It has been very popular. In August, letters of offer were issued to 916 voluntary and community sector organisations, awarding £1·5 million of TRPSI funding. Of the 916 letters of offer that were issued, 202 were issued in the Mid Ulster area, to the value of £343,000, to voluntary and community organisations for the purchase of capital items that will help to address localised poverty or isolation issues. I am pleased to advise that the second call for applications to the scheme opened yesterday. I encourage you all to highlight that amongst your constituents. <BR /> <BR />Recently, I approved the opening of the rural business development grant scheme.”
“To support voluntary and community sector organisations across Northern Ireland, the current rural community development support service contract provides funding support of £935,000 from the TRPSI programme to six rural support networks. <BR /> <BR />The rural support network in Mid Ulster, the Cookstown and Western Shores Area Network, works collaboratively with the Community Organisations of South Tyrone and Area (COSTA) network to ensure that support is available to build the capacity of all rural groups in the Mid Ulster District Council area. For that work, the Cookstown and Western Shores Area Network receives £165,000 per annum. <BR /> <BR />In June, I approved the opening of the rural micro capital grant scheme. That was after many people, including the Member who proposed this Adjournment topic, pushed me to do that.”
“Recently, I met officials to discuss the draft rural policy proposals. I am committed to engaging closely with rural stakeholders to provide an opportunity for them to inform future rural policy. My officials will continue to engage with those rural stakeholders. It is my intention that draft proposals will be consulted on early next year. <BR /> <BR />While rural policy development is being taken forward, we are supporting sustainability and growth in rural communities, both locally and regionally, in a number of ways. We are delivering a number of initiatives under the TRPSI framework, which has been mentioned. I am delighted to have been in the position to allocate £6·1 million to the TRPSI programme from the Department's 2024-25 budget to deliver on initiatives that are outlined in the approved TRPSI action plan.”
“<BR /> <BR />While the delivery of successive EU rural development programmes was a long-standing feature of DAERA's rural policy, the closure of the rural development programme has created the opportunity for my Department to consider its future rural policy remit. On 1 April, I established a new rural policy unit in the Department's rural affairs division, which is tasked with developing future rural policy for Northern Ireland. That will involve engaging with other Departments, councils, public authorities and stakeholders to inform collaborative policy proposals that are mindful of the changed rural landscape and the current and future needs of rural communities. <BR /> <BR />My Department is committed, in this year's business plan, to developing for consultation a new evidence-based rural policy.”
“I assure you that my Department will continue to work with other Departments in its role as the rural champion to drive, influence and deliver better policies for rural communities. <BR /> <BR />I am very aware that the closure of the Northern Ireland rural development programme that ran from 2014 to 2020 continues to be a concern to rural communities and stakeholders. I hear that regularly, particularly at Question Time. Mid Ulster received approximately £25·5 million of investment through that programme. The loss of rural development funding is a key issue. I am lobbying hard on behalf of rural communities for the support that they need.”
“That is not something that my Department can do alone, and it does not have the policy levers to address all the issues and challenges facing rural communities, as many are with other Departments. <BR /> <BR />With the introduction of the Rural Needs Act (Northern Ireland) 2016, all Departments have a duty to have due regard to the social and economic needs of people in rural areas when developing and implementing policies and when designing and delivering public services. It is only through collaborative working across government that we will be able to deliver sustainable growth in rural areas, in particular in Mid Ulster, which is our focus today.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I thank the Member for raising this important constituency matter and the other Members for their contributions to the debate. At the outset, let me say that, towards the end of my speech I will address the changes to inheritance tax and the loss of earmarked funding from Westminster. I thank the Member who has raised this issue. He advocates strongly for his constituency. He does it any time I encounter him in the corridors of the Building and on the phone. Fair play to him for securing the Adjournment debate. <BR /> <BR />It is important to reassure Members that my Department remains focused on supporting the sustainability and growth of rural communities in Mid Ulster and beyond.”
“Further to that point of order, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker, I acknowledge that the Member may have been raising this issue regularly, but I note that, when I published a written ministerial statement on 9 July, many who are now commenting on the issue were clearly on a long vacation.”
“I thank the Member for his question. What Members do not know is that, on occasions, the Member has been faster than me in marathons. I give him credit for that, but I will catch up in due course. <BR /> <BR />The issues that the Member has raised should be mainstreamed in all Departments. We should do that as a matter of course. One of our challenges is with adaptation and mitigation in Northern Ireland, and that is where we need to work as an Executive. That is key to going forward. <BR /> <BR />On the Budget for the next financial year, it is important that all Departments bid for significant funding for those issues. We have to match that with what the UK Government are providing us with, and I continue to engage with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) on financial support.”
“I will write to the Member with the full details on that, but it is key that we consider the impact on rural communities. I am taking that forward through the future rural affairs policy, because I want to embed it in the Department. I am also working with my Executive colleagues on the future Budget because, as you know, the earmarking for that has been removed, and we want to ensure that rural development is a key part of it.”
“When I came into post in February, my in tray was overflowing with difficult issues, and I am not dodging them.”
“The Member is clearly unacquainted with the legislation, which was brought forward by the previous DUP Minister and agreed unanimously, including by his party at Final Stage during the last mandate. I do not look towards a reduction in jobs: I look for the growth of good, green sustainable jobs. The Member may not be aware that the climate action plan has to be agreed by the Executive, and we are working together to achieve that. <BR />I do not look for us to move backwards; I look for us to move forward, and that is what I am keen to do. <BR /> <BR />Agri-food is a vital sector, and that is why I am working to give it a sustainable future. That means taking difficult decisions, but, rather than allowing people to feel warm and not facing up to them, I am working through them.”
“I ask the Member, if he has concerns about a specific area, to raise it with the relevant agencies. It is important that he does so. I am aware of a local issue that he is concerned about, and I will write to him shortly to invite him to a meeting in relation to it.”
“There are significant costs in failing to take action: lost investment and lost opportunities for jobs in Northern Ireland. However, I do not want to contemplate those. There are costs to making the interventions to enable a just transition. That is something that we should, frankly, already be doing. In relation to, for example, Communities, I would support Gordon Lyons on the need for investment in energy efficiency in homes. This is about a just transition, but it is also about decarbonisation. In agriculture, there is a need for capital funding not only to drive down greenhouse gas emissions but to promote water and air quality. My ambition is high, and I will engage with the Finance Minister in the time ahead on what resources we can secure to deliver that future for everyone.”
“I am aware of the stuff that the Member has quoted. It takes no account of the need for ambitious climate action plans. When we insert those, we get ourselves on the road to net zero. That is why it is crucial that we get agreement on carbon budgets and then the climate action plans. Those are the interventions that we need. As I outlined in my statement, they have to be transformative. However, we are up for this. Northern Ireland has a history of being transformative. Look at our past and see what we were able to do. Do not underestimate what we can do in the future. Other parts of the world look to us to lead in those areas.”
“That is exactly what the Just Transition Commission is about: holding the feet of the Assembly and wider government to the fire to ensure that those voices are heard. It is absolutely critical that we move on and are able to set the regulations. I want to carry out that consultation so that we get voices heard in relation to the issues.”
“Interventions such as the soil nutrient health scheme and the different packages of measures that we are bringing forward are positive and groundbreaking in Northern Ireland.”
“As to others looking to Northern Ireland, I referred specifically to agriculture and the interventions that are being made. I am happy to meet the SDLP to brief the party on the work that is being done on the future farm support development programme and the good work that is being done in agriculture. <BR /> <BR />Boy, do I know there is more to be done? There is significantly more to be done, but we are making good progress in turning things around. Government can be difficult, but it is about delivering change for people and working with others. That is what we are doing, particularly in farming. It is absolutely crucial that we do that and give people hope for the future.”
“We should — we must — get this agreed by the end of the year, and I will continue to engage with Executive colleagues on it. That is absolutely key.”
“I thank the Member for his questions. As you are aware, those are discussions that I am having with my Executive colleagues. The pace that I run this marathon at has to be the pace that my Executive colleagues are prepared to join me at. I will continue to encourage others to follow at that pace. I am very ambitious about this, and I am ready to go. I will seek to continue to engage with my Executive colleagues on the carbon budgets. Once that agreement is reached, I will come to the Assembly to let people know more about. Then I will seek to get approval of the climate action plan, because that is the next step.”
“The actions that I am taking on setting the way forward are entirely in line with the recommendations of the CCC. I sent a letter today to congratulate the new chief executive of that organisation.”
“What you are getting is resolute action from me on climate change, and that is why I have come to the Assembly today to outline the work that I am doing in relation to it. If the Member cared about this issue, as he pretends he does, he would have read the judgement fully and read my written ministerial statement on 9 July. What I cannot stomach is johnny-come-latelies, on 11 November, suddenly cottoning on to this issue and making false allegations about my commitments around climate change.”
“We need to show that there is certainty and that we are serious about our climate change legislation. As in a marathon, you do not give up at the start line. When you are at mile 20, you might want to consider where you are at. We are nowhere near mile 20. We have not even started. Let us get cracking at it. Let us show a bit of confidence for Northern Ireland, and let us work with people through the just transition commission.”
“The consultation will seek views on those factors, and the sectors will be represented. That will determine the way forward on cost, particularly with regard to frequency of meetings. <BR /> <BR />I will say a couple of things about the targets. The legislation was agreed unanimously at Final Stage. Hopefully, I will be able to bring forward the first climate action plan. I have confidence that we will be able to achieve that. Why would we miss that opportunity? Why would we turn that away? Why would we turn down the opportunity for investment? I am very serious about this. I want Northern Ireland to succeed. I think that it is the best part of the world, and I am very, very proud to represent it. I want to get investment in here. I do not want companies to go elsewhere. I want them to come here.”
“Thank you very much. I am not fixated on what the commission will look like. It is important that I acknowledge that. The purpose of the consultation is to be aware of the different views and take them into account. I will deal with the issue about cost before I turn to your first comments about the targets. <BR /> <BR />Similar to the commission that was set up in Scotland and that which was recently set up in Ireland, I propose that commission members will be part-time and that they will be remunerated in line with the Department of Finance's public appointee remuneration levels. My Department will provide funds for the commission to meet secretariat costs, IT support costs and operational costs as required, and fees and expenses will be in line with Department of Finance guidance. Those costs will be dependent on a number of factors.”
“I do not believe in further oil or gas extraction or storage that perpetuates our reliance on fossil fuels. I took the decision purely on the grounds that I set out on 9 July.”
“Thank you, Stewart, for your question. The rationale for the appeal of that decision is purely on constitutional grounds. I set that out on 9 July — I remember because it was my birthday — in a written ministerial statement to the Assembly about the appeal. The impact of the decision is very clear to those who read the judgement and written ministerial statement, in that it changes the requirement for referring decisions to the Executive. That has the potential to impact on my progressing important interventions to protect our environment in Northern Ireland. Some of the commentary of late has been bereft of any evidence or sense of reality. The idea that I am some sort of gas guzzler and climate-change denier is untrue. I took the decision after careful consideration of the judgement's constitutional implications.”
“We often talk in this place about what we are not doing or talk negatively about Northern Ireland, but we should be very proud of the role that agriculture will play in the first climate action plan, because it is positive and constructive. Other parts of the UK and Ireland are looking to Northern Ireland: they see what we are doing and want to replicate it. There are many examples of that in the packages of measures that we are bringing forward. The farm support and development programme is ambitious, and it includes many measures, including the soil nutrient health scheme. We should be hopeful about the future. I do not underestimate the challenges, but we should be positive about the role that agriculture plays in Northern Ireland.”
“I thank the Member for his question. He touched on some key issues, and those are why we are launching the consultation on setting up the just transition commission. We need to do it in partnership with people. I am very aware of the role that agriculture plays not only in our economy but in communities in Northern Ireland. Family farms are the bedrock of our rural economy in Northern Ireland, and we should be very proud of them. <BR /> <BR />I hope to bring the first climate action plan to the Executive and then take it out for consultation. It is very ambitious, but agriculture will play a significant role in it. The sector should, rightly, be proud of that.”
“The consultation on the just transition commission will help to inform the final policy content of the regulations that will establish the commission. <BR /> <BR />Progress has also been made on the development of our first climate action plan. We can make real progress on delivering the requirements of the Act in the coming months, and I hope that my Executive and Assembly colleagues will support my efforts to do so together.”
“It is about trying to do what we can to deliver on the ambition of our climate change legislation: legislation of which I am proud. Since coming into office, I have already introduced public body reporting regulations, which was the first deliverable required under the Act. As many will know, my Department consulted on carbon budgets during 2023, and I am currently engaging with Executive colleagues on setting Northern Ireland's first three carbon budgets and on undertaking the review of our 2030 and 2040 emissions reduction targets. I have met several of my Executive colleagues and had very useful, positive and constructive discussions with them. Once the Executive position on those issues has been agreed, I will introduce legislation for the Assembly to consider.”
“The Member rightly states that the legislation was approved unanimously at Final Stage by the Assembly. Delivering on the requirements of the Climate Change Act is challenging for my Department and the wider Executive, but many things in life are challenging. I run marathons, which are challenging, but that does not put me off. I just train harder and go at it. <BR /> <BR />The lack of a sitting Assembly and a functioning Executive until earlier this year has undoubtedly had an impact on meeting our statutory deadlines, as set out in the Act. Many other areas have also been affected by the lack of an Assembly and an Executive. My focus, however, is not on looking back. As is the case when running a marathon, it is about looking forward.”
“I and the Executive continue to work through the budget issue. It is, however, not just about cost but about opportunities. I have a real concern that, if we do not travel the road that is set out in the climate change legislation, we will lose investment and good green jobs, which people in Northern Ireland deserve. We need to grasp that issue. I have already addressed the issue with the Committee, and I do not intend to introduce primary legislation to amend the targets.”
“You touched on key parts of the Act. I have had significant engagement with my counterparts in the South through the North/South Ministerial Council. I have met Eamon Ryan, Charlie McConalogue and Heather Humphreys. There have also been bilateral meetings with Charlie. I am awaiting the outcome of the election in the South. I do not know whom I will be dealing with after the end of November, but, whomever it is, I am looking forward to having a very strong relationship, because we have to work North/South, east-west and way beyond in order to deal with the issues. It is therefore about having good working relationships. Taking learnings from the work that is being done in the South or across the water is also really valuable for us. That is why we set up the co-centres, which are valuable scientific and research resources.”
“It is of particular concern to young people, so it is important that we hear their voices.”