Part of Ministerial Statements – in the Northern Ireland Assembly am 11:15 am ar 25 Mehefin 2024.
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.