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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“I will start by saying that it is good to be here. Scrutiny of Ministers and accountability to the Assembly are vital. <BR /> <BR />Immigration is an excepted matter and a policy area that the UK Government (UKG) retain exclusive control over. I am, however, aware of the difficulties that are facing the fishing industry, and I plan to write to the Home Office on those changes and their potential impacts on Northern Ireland's agriculture and fisheries sectors. My officials will also continue to work with representatives from Northern Ireland's fishing industry in order to understand the extent of the impact on our fleet.”
“<BR /> <BR />I welcome today's motion and the calls for the establishment of a cross-departmental body that includes non-governmental organisations, to address blue-green algae and the water quality issues that face Lough Neagh. I believe that we can build effectively on examples such as the Forever Mournes partnership and map a course forward. We all share the same aim to preserve and restore the ecological integrity of Lough Neagh in a sustainable, collaborative and timely manner, recognising that we are embarking upon a long-term process. <BR /> <BR />I thank Members for proposing the motion and for the interesting and challenging discussion that the debate has stimulated. I look forward to working with Members on this vital topic in the months and years ahead.”
“<BR /> <BR />I confirm that my intention is to establish an inter-agency water body to engage with all interested public and stakeholder bodies on the improvement of water quality as part of the Lough Neagh report. My officials recently held preliminary discussions with the Northern Ireland Local Government Association, and we are also exploring how we can work in partnership with it. Alongside that work, an inter-agency monitoring group — under the leadership of DAERA and involving NIEA, the Drinking Water Inspectorate, AFBI, the Public Health Agency, the Food Standards Agency and NI Water — is developing a protocol for the future monitoring and management of blooms. I understand that Northern Ireland Water has instigated a dedicated incident management team on how to respond.”
“<BR /> <BR />Members will no doubt be aware that key recommendations will target the high nutrient levels that emanate from three main sources. We have talked about those. There is research on how those contribute overall in Northern Ireland. Research specific to Lough Neagh is also being undertaken by AFBI, and I hope to be able to publish that in the time ahead. <BR /> <BR />While, in the longer term, we need to tackle the ultimate causes of the algae blooms, we need to ensure that they do not reoccur this year and in subsequent years. As you can imagine, given the huge media interest in Lough Neagh in 2023, numerous individuals and companies have contacted my Department with potential technical solutions, and we are exploring those. Some may be runners; some may not.”
“<BR /> <BR />As Members may be aware, a cross-departmental water quality steering group is in the process of drafting a set of evidence-based recommendations to tackle blue-green algae in Lough Neagh and secure longer-term improvements in water quality. Patsy McGlone referred to that. The recommendations in the report are underpinned by scientific evidence and data, and it is important that we follow that. DAERA also established an independent science advisory group. Membership of the group has been drawn initially from the scientific expertise of the devolved Administrations, with a remit to provide an advisory, independent scrutiny role and to report. I expect to receive the report and recommendations for action from officials imminently; we are talking about weeks, not months.”
“I thank the Member for his intervention. I am conscious of that, but the issue for me is this: do we have someone to call us out, to call me out, on that? That is why we need to do the environmental governance review. We also have the Office for Environmental Protection, and we need to review how that relates to the issue. It is about establishing something to assist us as politicians and stakeholders. In the time ahead, I look forward to meeting stakeholders, as I have been doing in the past number of days, to discuss the issues. I am conscious that Northern Ireland is not unique in having this issue.”
“I want to work with people to make the case for the agency. I know that I need to do that with certain sectors. As a first step, I have asked officials to commence an environmental governance review, which is particularly important as a result of our exit from the EU, to understand where we are and to move forward. I repeat that I want to work with people on this, but my strong desire is to establish an independent environmental protection agency, because we need independent oversight in order to ensure that situations such as this do not occur again.”
“We have to ask ourselves whether, if that agency had been established many years ago, we would be having this debate today.”
“Members will be aware that it is a long-standing commitment of the Alliance Party and me, personally, to establish an independent environmental protection agency.”
“I clarify that I am not into the blame game; I am into solving the issues here. We want to work with people to resolve the issues. There is not just one source for that. <BR /> <BR />The circumstances that led to last year's algae blooms have been decades in the making, and, taken with the undeniable impact of climate change, that means that there are no quick fixes to the occurrence and probable recurrence of blue-green algae blooms at Lough Neagh. However, that should not stop us taking action. It is important that we start to work collectively to address the problem immediately. <BR /> <BR />I turn to the comments from the proposer of the amendment on an independent environmental protection agency.”
“They unfolded at the surface of the lough, but the reality is that they had been going on below the surface. <BR /> <BR />The blooms appeared at such an unprecedented level during 2023 due to four main factors: the highest water temperature ever recorded in Lough Neagh; the weather patterns experienced during the summer of 2023; warmer waters and altered weather patterns that exacerbated the frequency and intensity of the algae bloom outbreaks; and high levels of excess nutrients entering the lough, mostly from agricultural sources but also from Northern Ireland Water waste water infrastructure and, to a lesser extent, domestic waste water treatment systems. The large numbers of invasive zebra mussels that were found in the lough also increased the clarity of the water.”
“The area of special scientific interest (ASSI) designation lists 23 protected features, including a range of aquatic birds; shoreline habitats; breeding and wintering bird assemblages; and fresh water invertebrate and fish assemblages. That indicates just how scientifically important the lough's precious ecosystem is considered to be. <BR /> <BR />With that in mind, the events of last spring, summer and autumn, when algae blooms appeared at multiple locations in the lough and its wider catchment, as well as at locations along the north coast, were devastating for all to witness. Having visited Lough Neagh in person last week, I fully understand and empathise with people not just in their distress but in their anger as those events unfolded.”
“I thank the Member for his intervention. I will turn to that, but we have a number of actions that are starting to emerge, and I want to bring those forward not only to the Executive and Assembly but to stakeholders. As Minister, I want to work with people. I do not want people to be surprised about that work. I want people to buy into it. I need Members to buy into it. I need the Executive to buy into it. I need the Minister of Finance, the users, the residents and the non-governmental organisations around the lough to buy into it. That is crucial. It will not be easy, but I am prepared to do the work to make it deliver. <BR /> <BR />Lough Neagh is highly protected with multiple designations, each of which affords the lough and its features special protection.”
“<BR /> <BR />As Members will, no doubt, know, Lough Neagh is the largest fresh water lake in these islands. Its catchment area is approximately 43% of the land area of Northern Ireland; indeed, the size and scale of Lough Neagh and its catchment area add to the complexity of dealing with the blue-green algae issues in the lough. You can see that illustrated when you look at the catchment area on a map; it is not just the lough. The lough supplies half of Belfast's drinking water and 40% of Northern Ireland's overall drinking water requirements. Those are significant figures in any context, and they underline the need for us to invest and turn the problem around and the importance of the lough to our environment and our economy. Lough Neagh is highly —.”
“<BR /> <BR />Like my officials, I recognise the importance of Lough Neagh to our environment, our ecology and our drinking water supply. I also recognise its wider importance to tourism, fishing and leisure activities in communities not just surrounding the lough but across Northern Ireland. I am also aware of the wider debate on the ownership of Lough Neagh and of Members' contributions today. I welcome the news that the Lough Neagh Partnership has secured funding to explore future management and ownership of the lough, and I look forward to seeing the publication of that research. I also welcome the approach that has been made to me by Lord Shaftesbury, and I look forward to meeting him in a frank and open manner in the weeks ahead.”
“I am. I am aware that it is not just an issue in Lough Neagh. It speaks to what I have already outlined: it is a wider issue that we all need to face together. <BR /> <BR />For the reasons that I have outlined, in the next few weeks, I will bring to the Executive a new environment strategy that I will propose to be adopted as Northern Ireland's first environmental improvement plan. It will take a strategic approach to all the issues facing our environment. There is a mountain of issues for me to address on taking office, many of which have built up over two years of having no Executive. Not having an Executive has not come without consequences. I am determined to do the work to turn the problem around, but we can never let that situation happen again.”
“Urgent collaborative action and investment are needed to tackle what the public increasingly see as a joint climate and biodiversity crisis. The blue-green algae issue, manifested most notably in Lough Neagh but also in other water bodies across Northern Ireland, cannot be seen in isolation from the natural environment more generally. We cannot tackle its problems in isolation.”
“We all recognise that it will take significant time, investment, commitment and working in partnership to make the improvements that are needed, but we all wish to see those improvements effected. The scale of the problem should not prevent us from taking action now. We need to move from debating such motions to taking action. As Minister, I am willing and ready to lead, to drive action and to coordinate. The responsibility is on us all, however — in the Chamber and in the Executive — to turn the situation around. There is a unity of purpose here. Let us go forward with that and grasp the issues ahead. <BR /> <BR />Our natural environment is under significant pressure, and most indicators are moving in the wrong direction.”
“Last week, I made a specific commitment to go back to Lough Neagh regularly, at least quarterly, and it is important that I fulfil that. <BR /> <BR />On the opening remarks made by the motion's proposer, Philip McGuigan, on our MLA running club, which did not last too long, I can confirm to him and other Members that, last night, I entered the Lap the Lough cycling sportive, which is an 89-mile cycle ride around Lough Neagh. I hope that he will join me for it. He will probably beat me; I put that out now. Lough Neagh is a key part of our community and a real asset for Northern Ireland, and I look forward to enjoying all 89 miles in August. <BR /> <BR />From the outset, I wish to reassure Members and make it clear that I will not shy away from my responsibilities as Minister to do the work that needs to be done to tackle the issues.”
“<BR /> <BR />As I highlighted to the Executive last week at their first meeting, it is encouraging to see agreement on the need for collective action, not just in government but through working with users, local residents and stakeholder organisations to bring long-term solutions to the issue of Lough Neagh and water quality in general. Such is the importance that I place on it that I made it a priority to visit Lough Neagh last week in my first few days as Minister. During the visit, I met stakeholders in the Lough Neagh Partnership to hear at first hand about the extent of the issue. That was just the beginning of my engagement with stakeholders; I intend to seek views regularly and to work together to take forward evidence-based solutions to tackle blue-green algae and secure long-term water quality improvements.”
“May I start by thanking the Members for bringing the issue to the Floor for discussion? It is good to be back in a functioning Assembly with the Executive restored. It is also good to see the good will being shown towards each other and the consensus emerging in relation to the issue. I also thank Members for their kind comments on my appointment. As Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, it is my strong desire to work with Members, with the sectors that come under my Department's remit and with wider society, because that is the only way in which we will achieve solutions to the challenges of Lough Neagh and the many other challenges that we face across Northern Ireland.”
“I confirm that I am willing to take up the office of Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, and I affirm the terms of the Pledge of Office as set out in schedule 4 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998.”
“Will the Member agree that today is the last chance to get the Assembly and Executive back and people should not be used as leverage by the UK Government or by the DUP?”
“Do you not think that the Member is being rather disingenuous in saying that, when the reality was that, without an Executive and without a Budget, the powers of caretaker Ministers were just that — caretaker powers — and that what we need is an Executive?”
“Does the Member agree that the only way forward for this place is reform to ensure that all mandates can be respected and those who do not want to turn up to work and get the job done can opt out and sit on the Back Benches?”
“I thank the Member for his intervention. I have found it interesting of late to see the Member coming out so strongly and fervently in support of the Good Friday Agreement. How times have changed. The people of Northern Ireland consented and voted overwhelmingly for these institutions to sit and for an Executive to be formed. No single party should be able to hold this place to ransom. To use the sick and the vulnerable as leverage is shameful.”
“It is not lost on me that, back in 1998 when the Assembly first sat, six MLAs were pigeonholed into the category of "other". Mr Speaker, I am many things, but I ain't just "other". Today, we have 18 "others", but when the vote for a Speaker proceeds, our votes will be cast aside. They will not be equal, and a veto will be invoked to stop the Assembly doing its job, yet again pointing to why we need to reform the institutions. It is likely that there will be a clear majority for the election of a Speaker, but it will be blocked. The DUP seems to be addicted to the politics of deadlock, division and disruption. No single party should be able to hold the Assembly or the people of Northern Ireland to ransom.”
“Today is decision day. The people of Northern Ireland are watching. We must elect a Speaker. We must be allowed to do our job. If the DUP is to proceed to veto the election of Speaker, that is an appalling abuse of power. Forgive me, but I shall take no lectures from the DUP about equality in Northern Ireland.”
“I will start by paying tribute to you in your term of office as Speaker. When you were elected as Speaker back in January 2020, I knew that you were a man of good workmanship as you helped to decorate my grandparents' home and did a very good job, and they were delighted with it. You did not fail to impress in your role as Speaker. You were fair and firm. You ensured that all voices were heard in the Assembly. With private Members' business in particular, you ensured that a significant volume could be processed towards the end of the last mandate. I am particularly appreciative of that and wish you all the best in the time ahead. <BR /> <BR />The Alliance Party will support both proposals for Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly. Both candidates are strong and extremely capable and will be able to fulfil the role well.”
“<BR /> <BR />Alliance will, however, support the Bill in the hope that a small change is better than no change at all. I urge all other parties to support the Bill as we take much needed action to update our defamation laws.”
“I hope that reform of that regulation means that presumption of a jury trial will no longer hold back individuals from seeking justice. <BR /> <BR />As I have already stated, I am disappointed that the Bill had vital elements of reform removed during its passage through the Assembly. This was an opportunity to make significant change to defamation law in Northern Ireland, yet certain parties — namely the DUP, Sinn Féin and the TUV — voted them down. As Committee evidence showed, on a number of occasions, defamation cases have been used by wealthy individuals to intimidate those with limited access to resource or finance. This was an opportunity to create fairer access to justice for all, yet the Bill, as it stands, does not contain the reform that could change the narrative in that area.”
“With the removal of the serious harm test at Consideration Stage, I am disappointed that that mechanism is not part of the Bill. <BR /> <BR />While I welcome the improvement to our defamation laws, I reiterate that we still have a long way to go to combat the abhorrent online abuse that we see so regularly on social media and other online platforms. I look forward to learning more about the Westminster online safety legislation and how best we can make significant and much wanted and needed change in that area. <BR /> <BR />One of the more significant changes that the Bill, if passed, will bring about is the removal of the presumption in favour of a jury trial in defamation cases. The presumption of a jury trial raises both the cost and complexity of defamation cases.”
“If people feel that this Bill is rushed, I would like to see a Bill that is proceeding slowly. <BR /> <BR />The removal of the serious harm test at Consideration Stage was very disappointing. The Bill that is before us is a vastly watered-down version of what was originally presented to the House in June of last year. It is disheartening that such a significant change to defamation law was rejected by the House. Previous engagement with the Bill sponsor suggested that he may have been open to tabling, at Further Consideration Stage, amendments to the Bill that would mirror anti-SLAPP mechanisms, which were recommended as part of the review of Ireland's defamation laws. That mechanism would have offered greater protection to weaker parties who are faced with groundless and exaggerated lawsuits from wealthy individuals.”
“At the outset, like Matthew O'Toole, I declare membership of the all-party group on press freedom and media sustainability. I will speak as the finance spokesperson for the Alliance Party. I am pleased to be able to give my support and my party's support for the Defamation Bill. <BR /> <BR />In too many areas, Northern Ireland lags behind the progress on these islands. Defamation law reform has been one of those areas. The opportunity to implement a legislative consent motion on the Defamation Bill that was passing through Westminster in 2012 was missed and rejected by the then Finance Minister, DUP MLA and also MP, Sammy Wilson. It is not surprising that the DUP voted against that Bill in Westminster. The DUP, alongside Sinn Féin, has played a significant part in diluting the content of this Bill.”
“What actions has the Minister taken to address that?”
“I thank the Minister for his response. I return to the issue of energy. The Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) reported today that:”
“As the Minister is aware, a number of the key staff in the London and North America offices of Invest NI have recently resigned. Will the Minister please provide an update on what he anticipates the impact of that will be, particularly on the ability to attract foreign direct investment to Northern Ireland?”
“I thank the Minister for her response and for her work on that, as well as all of her work as Justice Minister throughout the last two years. Can she give us a flavour of the implications of not establishing an Executive following the forthcoming election? What impact will that have on her Ministry and on the actions that she wants to take forward?”
“<BR /> <BR />It has recently emerged that less than half of the recommendations from the RHI inquiry have been fully implemented, that only half of the recommendations relating specifically to Ministers and spads have been fully addressed, and that limited progress has been made in relation to professional skills. Any sort of action plan must be followed through and, as the title suggests, actioned. The Alliance Party has always advocated, and will always advocate, for stronger openness and transparency in our government. We must do everything that we can to ensure that the RHI failings never occur again.”
“<BR /> <BR />The RHI inquiry report — unfortunately, it is not easily accessible given that the website has been shut down and the actual report is only available on an obscure archive website — also recommended that we consider what steps are needed to strengthen the scrutiny role of the Assembly and particularly that of its Committees. I note that that recommendation has been taken forward by the Chairperson's Liaison Group, and I support its actions on that. We must take every action that we can to improve how we, as MLAs, scrutinise and examine legislation.”
“In light of that Audit Office finding, I would be grateful if the Minister could update us on the progress of that review. <BR /> <BR />The Executive's RHI action plan considers the findings of the inquiry in light of the work that has already been completed and proposes further reforms to those in New Decade, New Approach to improve openness and transparency in government and rebuild public confidence. We have a very long way to go before we reach that place, and the actions to pull down this place certainly do not help public confidence.”
“to an Audit Office public report. That proves that there is still a substantial distance to go in seeking fundamental change in our government and tackling a culture in which cover-ups and a lack of openness and transparency are allowed to continue. <BR /> <BR />On the RHI disciplinary process, the Audit Office detailed:”
“Disappointingly, however, the Northern Ireland Audit Office has noted that it continues to observe a culture in the Department for the Economy in which, on occasions, issues are not shared with the Audit Office. Some issues with that culture include:”
“In April 2020, an external panel that was established to consider potential breaches of the standards of conduct for civil servants recommended that charges of misconduct should be considered for 10 individuals involved in the RHI scandal. Between April and June 2020, the Civil Service internal panel that was established following the inquiry and the British Government Cabinet Office considered the external panel's recommendations. The two panels concluded that charges of gross misconduct should be considered for six individuals and that charges of misconduct should be considered for four individuals. We now know that only one of those 10 identified individuals received a written warning. <BR /> <BR />A number of initiatives have been taken forward by the Department for the Economy following the RHI inquiry.”
“The final report made 44 recommendations for change, including policies and practices that required reform. The report also outlined that there was a need for cultural change in government, particularly in the key areas of risk management and governance.”
“I recall the launch of the RHI inquiry report as COVID-19 was sweeping across the world, as well as the debate on it on the Monday. It is apt that we return to it on the penultimate day of our Assembly mandate. <BR /> <BR />As we are all more than aware, the renewable heat incentive scandal was a massive failing for Northern Ireland, costing us millions and shattering confidence in government. What was, literally, a scheme to burn to earn was allowed to run for years before any sort of cost-control mechanism was introduced, and a three-month delay in introducing those controls meant that there was a surge in applications to the scheme. That time, people got in before any tiering mechanism was introduced. <BR /> <BR />The RHI inquiry drew attention to a number of failings in our system of government.”
“I welcome the appointment of Dorinnia Carville as the new C&AG. It will be good to get her in the post and hopefully, after the election, the Assembly can re-establish the Public Accounts Committee and work with her in the time ahead.”
“Kieran and his staff have delivered some very thorough and comprehensive audit reports and have enabled the Assembly to provide scrutiny of the public sector and the decisions being made. I am eternally grateful for the service that Kieran has provided to us. It has aided us in our work as Members of the Assembly and in the scrutiny of how Northern Ireland is run.”
“I am glad that we are able to debate this motion in the Assembly today. We will hopefully be able to approve it before the end of the mandate, because it is absolutely crucial that we be able to make this appointment. I speak as someone who was previously a member of the Audit Committee and who, for the past two years, has been a member of the Public Accounts Committee. On the current postholder, Kieran Donnelly, who is due to retire, I will say that sometimes in life people come along who really do impress you, and Kieran is one of them. He has been entirely professional in his conduct throughout the time that I have gotten to know him. He is entirely committed to his role and thorough in the work that he has undertaken.”
“It is important that that be considered. <BR /> <BR />I will touch on the previous contribution. In the context of COVID-19, a war in Ukraine and the horrendous humanitarian situation there and a cost-of-living crisis that is crippling families and households across Northern Ireland, we should not even contemplate the idea that there will not be an Executive in the next mandate.”