Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs – in the Northern Ireland Assembly am 3:15 pm ar 17 Mehefin 2024.
I thank the Member for his question. I have the report here; it is ready to go. There are many actions that my Department is taking, some of which I outlined to Stewart Dickson. Our farm support and development programme is a significant programme to turn our farms towards an environmentally sustainable way forward. That has been very well-received and I am looking forward to continuing to deliver it.
Communications around the area are planned and are under way. We also have the soil nutrient health scheme; training planned for slurry contractors; the small business research initiative on the utilisation of livestock slurry; an independent scientific review of sand extraction; more resources for regulation and enforcement; and a scoping of the expansion of the sustainable catchment programme. There is lots more.
My Department is getting cracking and is moving on this, but I need Executive approval for the significant elements that are cross-cutting or new, including the establishment of a model similar to the Forever Mournes partnership using the innovation lab; scoping a conservation management plan; investment in waste water infrastructure; investment in a science platform; a grant programme to support organisations that are working to support better water quality in the Lough Neagh area; a sentencing framework review of fines and penalties for environmental crime; and action on septic tanks.
This Executive will be judged on one thing: delivery. That is what I want to do.