Questions asked by Eóin Tennyson in the Northern Ireland Assembly

Mr Muir

Steady progress is being made to deliver the Lough Neagh action plan, with partners continuing to implement measures aimed at improving water quality and protecting the long-term health of the lough. The consultation on an updated nutrients action programme to tackle pollution from agricultural sources has recently concluded. I recently announced a £49 million Lough Neagh catchment area water quality programme, through funding from the Shared Island initiative, which will support nature-based solutions on farms. I have also set out to the Assembly several key interventions to strengthen the regulation and enforcement of waste water activities. I seek to take those interventions forward, including the Fisheries, Aquaculture and Water Environment Bill, which will strengthen the fines and penalties and hold polluters to account. In addition, I am seeking to leave the statement of regulatory principles and intent (SORPI), which is an administrative arrangement that has wrongly afforded NI Water a bye ball from prosecution for waste water pollution. I also continue to seek to establish an independent environmental protection agency. We need an independent environmental regulator, free from political interference and able to get on with the job of protecting our environment. It is wrong that we are the only part of the UK and Ireland that does not have an independent environmental protection agency, and its establishment has been blocked by the DUP. I am doing all that I can to improve water quality and strengthen regulation enforcement to hold the polluters to account. Whilst important strides have been made, it is essential to recognise that the recovery of the lough requires sustained long-term action and support for the difficult decisions that are required.

Mr Muir

The impact of not taking the correct actions to ensure that we have a fair and proportionate regulation and enforcement regime for all the polluters associated with water quality is devastating. It is not lost on me that, recently, the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee opposed an arrangement for Thames Water that is similar to the one currently in place for NI Water. The arrangement that is in place is not right, and it is potentially unlawful. In the context of the discussions we have had today about the rule of law, no one should be asking me to continue to operate something that is potentially unlawful. The SORPI regime is wrong, and it needs to go.

Mr Kearney

Minister, on Friday, you made a very important announcement about a financial mitigation package for fishermen because of the endemic pollution of the Lough. I think that we would both agree that the package will not provide full compensation for the eel fishermen's loss of livelihood because they can no longer fish in the lough in the normal way for the foreseeable future. However, can you set out in some detail how you intend to operationalise the mitigation package? What further steps do you intend to take to secure the sustainability of commercial fishing on Lough Neagh?

Mr Muir

I met with the eel fishermen last week regarding the package. I want to reassure you and those affected by this that the Department has stretched itself as far as it can to provide that support package. In Northern Ireland, it is often the least well-off who are affected the most as a result of environmental damage, so it is important that we have a just transition and support people who are affected by this. The arrangements that have been put in place restrict eel fishermen for the next three years, which I recognise is difficult for them. We have announced a support package based on 50% reimbursement of income forgone, using a three-year fishing track record, based on 2022, 2023 and 2024. Payment to eligible fishers will be made annually over the three-year life of the scheme. The scheme will also support hauliers, and it is important that we put that in place. We will seek to operationalise this as soon as possible and ensure that we get the support out to people. We need to put administrative arrangements in place, but I thought that it was important to engage with the fishermen and make the announcement last week.

Mr K Buchanan

Minister, I appreciate that the relationship between you and the farming community is not good. What can you do to support the community to help it with the Lough Neagh issue? In the past, the finger was pointed at them, but we know that it is not all their fault. They are not completely clean, but it is not all their fault. Every day, we see sewage in our rivers and on our streets that is running into Lough Neagh, but the finger is being pointed at farmers. What can you do to build that relationship and, ultimately, solve the problem?

Mr Muir

I have many good relationships with farmers who are committed to nature-friendly farming and our environment, and I congratulate them for that. As I set out in my response to the substantive question, £49 million has been secured under the Shared Ireland initiative to support nature-based solutions on farms as part of the sustainable catchment programme. We are also developing and delivering our sustainable farm initiative, which is really important. As part of that, there is capital support for people in relation to technologies that are available. With regard to waste water pollution, I have set out to you that I have a paper with the Executive, which has been sitting there for months, to end the bye ball that was wrongly afforded to NI Water. The DUP is blocking that, so I encourage you to let me make sure that everyone is treated fairly. It is wrong that the corporate polluter is afforded a bye ball. That needs to end.

Mr McGlone

Minister, I have done a quick calculation on the support package for eel fishermen and the hauliers, and, give or take £100, it averages out at around £2,800 per annum. Will that, too, be liable for income tax?

Mr Muir

I am not in a position to advise on behalf of HMRC. That is something for it to consider. If the Member wishes to raise that issue with HMRC, I am sure that it will give him clarity on it.

Ms D Armstrong

Of the actions in the Lough Neagh action plan that are listed as "Progressing", how many do you anticipate being completed before the end of the mandate?

Mr Muir

We are making steady progress on the delivery of the Lough Neagh action plan. A number of actions are particularly challenging, one of which sits with the Department for Infrastructure, namely investment in waste water infrastructure. That is one of the key issues. We need to be brave and face up to that issue. It is holding back housebuilding and economic development, and it is also polluting our waterways. Sound bites will not cut it. It means facing up to the stark realities that we need to make sure that our waste water infrastructure is properly funded. I will support the Executive in their case to the UK Government for a fairer funding settlement, but we need to look at what we can do. We are perpetuating a cost-of-living crisis because we are not dealing with the issues. As you will know, house prices are increasing because we are not investing in that area, but that lack of investment is also polluting Lough Neagh and many other waterways.