I have received notice from the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs that he wishes to make a statement. As with the previous statement, I remind Members that they must be concise in asking their questions and that it is not an opportunity for long introductions. Without further ado, I call the Minister to make his statement.

With your permission, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker, I wish to make a statement in compliance with section 52 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 regarding the twenty-fourth North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) environment meeting, which was held in the NSMC joint secretariat offices, Armagh, on Monday 10 June 2024. Junior Minister Aisling Reilly MLA, junior Minister Pam Cameron MLA and I represented the Northern Ireland Executive at the meeting. I thank them for coming along with me. The Irish Government were represented by Eamon Ryan TD, Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, and Malcolm Noonan TD, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Minister Ryan TD chaired the meeting. The statement has been agreed with junior Minister Reilly and junior Minister Cameron, and I make it on behalf of us all. It was a very positive meeting, and a lot of progress was made. I will take each paper in the order in which it was discussed.

The NSMC noted that officials from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage have reviewed the work programme of the NSMC environment sector. Ministers noted that both jurisdictions place a strong focus on efforts to tackle the challenges surrounding climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution and agreed a revised work programme for the environment sector.

Ministers were invited to welcome the presentation on climate change and biodiversity, entitled 'A Shared Island approach to Climate and Biodiversity Research', which highlights the potential benefits of a collaborative approach to environmental challenges, particularly in respect of climate change and biodiversity, through the themes of shared ambition, shared experience and shared opportunities and challenges.

On research funding opportunities, the NSMC welcomed the ongoing collaboration and continued delivery of environmental priorities such as those through the PEACE PLUS programme 2021-27 and the Shared Island initiative. Ministers noted the shared challenges faced in both jurisdictions and recognised that there are opportunities to work together on research to manage and protect the environment through informed, evidence-based policy development. Ministers welcomed the strong links between research bodies in both jurisdictions in the field of environmental research and agreed that both Administrations will continue to work together to maximise opportunities in environmental research, including those offered by PEACE PLUS, Horizon Europe, Ireland’s North/South research programme and the jointly funded research co-centres.

The NSMC noted that improving air quality is a key priority for both jurisdictions and acknowledged the progress achieved and the challenges faced by both Administrations in improving air quality and, in particular, strategies, initiatives and collaboration to tackle air pollution on a cross-border basis. Ministers also agreed to continue collaboration on the key issues affecting air quality such as solid fuels, communication and policy alignment.

On water quality and waste water management, the Council noted the significant issue of blue-green algae and its impacts on water quality and the safety of water use and the new approaches needed to address its causes and manage monitoring. The current position in relation to the particular challenges surrounding Lough Neagh was highlighted. The NSMC noted that departmental officials and wider stakeholders across both jurisdictions are actively sharing knowledge and expertise on water quality issues including through the North/South water framework directive coordination group.

Ministers welcomed the overall continued high quality of the bathing waters in both jurisdictions and noted the continued engagement between the Department for Infrastructure, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Irish Water and Northern Ireland Water on exploring opportunities for cooperation, including applications to access funding under the EU’s PEACE PLUS programme. The NSMC welcomed the opportunity for cross-jurisdictional collaboration in the pilot catchment work plan to be undertaken in the Newry, Fane, Glyde and Dee catchment.

The Council agreed to hold the next meeting in this sector in autumn 2024. I welcome the re-establishment of formal NSMC meetings and look forward to working with my counterparts in Ireland in all areas of cooperation in the environment sector. I commend the statement to the Assembly and welcome any questions.

Thank you, Minister. OK; there you go. I was going to ask Members to rise in their place. I did not know who wanted to speak. OK. I call Patsy McGlone.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire.

[Translation: I thank the Minister.]

Minister, paragraphs 11 and 14 of your statement are to do with cross-jurisdictional research projects between the Republic of Ireland and the Government in the North. In particular, paragraph 14 refers to blue-green algae. I know that that is a problem that affects not just Lough Neagh and that there are waterways in the Republic where a similar problem arises. Is there potential there for cooperation — the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI), now Innovate UK Contracts for Innovation, has been mentioned — between both jurisdictions around the science and remedial work associated with blue-green algae?

I thank the Member for his question. There is potential. Work is already ongoing in the co-centres, for example, where there is that collaboration. It is vital that we collaborate on research and science, North/South and east-west, not only to bring forward potential solutions but to understand the scale of the problem so that we can work together to address it. This is key, and I want to work on it with my colleagues in the South at NSMC meetings and outside those. When it comes to water quality, we are aware that Lough Neagh's catchment area extends beyond Northern Ireland. There is a need for cooperation on that matter, and that is high on my agenda.

I thank the Minister for bringing this forward. Have there been any discussions around the illegal dumping of waste in Northern Ireland that emanates from the Republic of Ireland: for example, at Mobuoy? I know that there is potential for the repatriation of that waste.

I thank the Member for his question. I am aware of the issues around that. There was not a substantial discussion of those matters, but they are a matter of concern for me, and I want to pick them up with my colleagues in the time ahead. There was quite a lot to deal with in the meeting because we had not had any NSMC meetings for a number of years. The illegal trade in the dumping of waste and the impact that it can have is a key issue North and South. I want to work on those matters with my colleagues, and I am happy to engage with the Member on them in his capacity as Committee Chairperson.

I thank the Minister for his statement, paragraph 12 of which refers to the importance of improving air quality. He will be aware that his Department is working on ammonia emissions, which is a key, live issue. Were there any discussions with his counterparts on an all-island approach to reducing ammonia emissions?

Ammonia emissions from agriculture and their impact on protected sites are an issue common to both jurisdictions. The PEACE PLUS programme may present an opportunity to share knowledge and experience in that area. An additional aspect of ammonia emissions is their potential impact on human health through the formation of fine particles. It is hoped that research commissioned under PEACE PLUS will help to provide more certainty in that area.

I call John Blair. I am sorry; I call William Irwin.

Paragraph 12 of the statement mentions that the NSMC "acknowledged the progress achieved" on improving air quality. Will the Minister update us on what progress has been achieved?

I thank the Member for his question. Air quality is important to me, and I am engaging with officials on our air quality strategy for Northern Ireland. I want to get that finalised so that we are able to make progress on it. It is one of the issues that officials have been working on, alongside water quality. Resources are a challenge for my Department, but we are working through that, and I was reading through the responses to the consultation just last night.

The NSMC meeting had a significant discussion around air quality, given that the challenges exist North and South. Air quality does not stop at the border. We need to deal with it, particularly when it comes to the actions that the South has taken on the burning of fuel. We were able to discuss those issues. I will have to work on those issues with my Communities and Economy colleagues. We have had fruitful discussions to date, and I want to make progress on those matters. We need to take action on air quality: it has a real impact on human health in Northern Ireland.

Can the Minister give us more information about what was discussed in relation to Lough Neagh, given the sheer scale of its catchment area and the transboundary nature of the issues surrounding it?

I thank the Member for his question. Water quality in Lough Neagh was discussed in some depth at the meeting, because we face challenges on a North/South basis. We looked at the interventions that have been made in the South and at research issues. As part of that, we updated attendees at the NSMC on the efforts that have been progressing to finalise and publish the Lough Neagh report and action plan.

I am disappointed that it looks unlikely that there will be an Executive meeting on Thursday to agree that report and action plan. Time is not on our side, and, as a result, I will write to the First Minister and the deputy First Minister to request the use of urgent procedure to approve the report and action plan. If the Executive meeting does not occur this week and urgent procedure is not granted, I will have to consider my options, because the blue-green algae issue at Lough Neagh is of extreme concern to me. It is a real problem, and we need to act on it. I will have to explore every way in which my Department can take the necessary actions.

It is important that I take the opportunity to outline the approach that should be taken. I have said in the Chamber that it is based on four pillars: education; investment and incentivisation; regulation; and enforcement. That is a balanced approach and one that we should take. We can all be part of the solution, but we need to take action. The Executive will hopefully meet this week. If they do not, the Lough Neagh report and action plan will hopefully be given urgent approval. The Executive need to step up and back me on the actions that I need to take.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as a ráiteas.

[Translation: I thank the Minister for his statement.]

It is great to hear that Lough Neagh was discussed and that it is still a priority for the North/South Ministerial Council.

The Minister will be aware that, over the weekend, Mr Nicholas Ashley-Cooper made comments about his ownership of the lough and his intention to transfer it into the hands of the community. He also commented on how no body is set up to take on ownership of the lough. Does the Minister have any intention of discussing that with the stakeholders, including councils, that would be involved in creating a body to take over ownership of the lough?

I thank the Member for her question. I am aware of the public discourse on the ownership of the bed and soil and of what the Earl of Shaftesbury has said in recent days. I have reached out to him to seek a meeting to discuss the issues further. I am conscious of the issue and its importance to many people. My preference is for community ownership. I am aware that the Lough Neagh Partnership (LNP) is undertaking an initiative on the future management and ownership of the lough, and I intend to engage with that initiative.

The primary focus of the Lough Neagh report and action plan is on water quality issues in the lough. The ownership of the bed and soil is largely not within the report's scope. There are, however, issues that we will address as part of the report, and, as part of that work, I am taking forward an independent scientific review of the impact of sand dredging. It is important that we do that.

Let us view the situation as presenting us with lots of opportunities for action. I look forward to engaging with the Earl of Shaftesbury on the issue, but, most importantly, in the here and now, we need to get the Lough Neagh report and action plan agreed. Let us get it published and give people hope that we can deliver for the citizens of Northern Ireland by turning the situation around. I am aware of the scenes of blue-green algae in Lough Neagh that have been reported today. The Assembly and the Executive have been re-established, so let us use the institutions to deliver good for the people of Northern Ireland.

Every party in the Chamber has called for a plan to tackle the issues in Lough Neagh; indeed, that call appeared in the DUP's Westminster manifesto, which was launched yesterday. What is your assessment of who is responsible for blocking progress on the Lough Neagh action plan?

I brought the Lough Neagh report and action plan to the most recent meeting of the Executive, and it was discussed at that meeting. I was given some feedback, which included the need for further engagement with stakeholders. I did that: last Wednesday, I met Northern Ireland Environment Link (NIEL), the Lough Neagh Partnership, the Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU) and the Northern Ireland Agricultural Producers Association (NIAPA). I engaged with those organisations and received feedback. I will update the report and issue it to Executive colleagues, hopefully today. Hopefully, we can then get it agreed at the meeting on Thursday, because it is really important that we take action.

Lots of parties have come forward to say that we need to take action on Lough Neagh, and I am up for doing so and for working with people to deliver that action. I will not shy away from difficult decisions. I will confront the difficult decisions that we need to take, because that is what we need to do to address the issues associated with water quality.

The Lough Neagh report and action plan is balanced. It focuses on issues such as those we have outlined -— education, investment and incentivisation -— but it also talks about regulation and enforcement, and it is important we do that, because we have to take a balanced approach to the issues. Hopefully, everyone can come together. Let us have an Executive meeting on Thursday. Let us get the report and action plan agreed. Let us work together as an Executive and deliver for the citizens of Northern Ireland, because that is what the people want. I understand that people may have concerns about the way forward, and I am happy to engage with people, as I did last week on the issue. Together, we can turn the situation around, engage and match manifesto promises with actual delivery.

I want to speak about the commitment on continued high-quality bathing water in paragraph 15. I welcome the inclusion of that, but I represent the South Down coastal area, and, coming into the summer, there are recurring issues with the bathing waters, particularly around Newcastle. I know that those issues also reach into North Down. Can the Minister clarify what opportunities were discussed for addressing bathing waters and how that will affect us here, particularly on the County Down coast?

I thank the Member for her question. The issue of bathing water quality is close to my heart because it has been raised by constituents in North Down. Down South, there have been initiatives that target areas with poor water quality in order to turn it around. One of those, the ASSAP initiative (agricultural sustainability support and advisory programme) — I apologise for the acronym — involves one-to-one engagement with the agriculture community. That was one of the discussions in the meeting. There would be real benefits to expanding a similar scheme of one-to-one engagement led by the Rivers Trust in the upper Bann catchment area to other areas of Northern Ireland. I need funding to do that. I will engage with the Finance Minister on that, because one key way we can improve bathing water quality is by engaging with people.

Can I be clear about this, folks? My heart and soul are in education and incentivisation. It is much better that the problem does not occur in the first place and that we do not have to resort to enforcement. That is not where I want to go, OK? It is really important that I put this on the record: the overwhelming majority of farmers are good custodians of the countryside -— they are fantastic custodians of the countryside, and we would be lost without them -— but, if people are breaking the law, it is important that we take enforcement action. That is why I am talking about a balanced approach, but I really want to engage one-to-one with people and bring people with us. That is where my focus is on the issue.

The other aspect of bathing water quality is waste water infrastructure. Ultimately, I will stand here as Minister and make a bid for funding for another Department: John O'Dowd and the Department for Infrastructure need more funding for waste water infrastructure so that we can invest in that infrastructure to improve water quality. I will stand with John at every opportunity to make that case, because that is how we will turn the situation around. That is where, I genuinely believe, we can work together to turn this around. I have seen what has happened in the South. I will go down South and see some of their initiatives and what they are doing, because, with practical interventions and by working together, we can turn the situation around, give people a bit of hope and move on from a blame game to solutions.

Minister, I welcome your robustness on Lough Neagh and other matters. In the days after that meeting, the EU passed its Nature Restoration Law. We still do not have one in Northern Ireland, but, in the South, they have signed up to those targets. Will you agree with, support and work to implement at least alignment of those targets North and South? We know we are effectively in exactly the same place on biodiversity loss across Ireland. Will you support at least those targets going into law here?

There are real benefits to enshrining in law statutory targets for nature restoration. Ultimately, I have to work within a reduced mandate and reduced resources on that legislation and get agreement from Executive colleagues. There is discussion of a private Member's Bill; I attended an event recently on that.

I am up for doing anything we can to protect our environment, but I have to work with a tight budget, tight resources — as I have outlined, the officials dealing with Lough Neagh are also dealing with air quality — and a reduced mandate. The reduced mandate is the consequence of this place not sitting. We have lost two years, so we only really have three left from that mandate. That is why we also need reform of the institutions, so that, when they are back, they operate and deliver for people, and we do not have the politics of veto and blocking things.