Lough Neagh improvement plan is finally announced

A YEAR after toxic sludge swamped Lough Neagh, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Andrew Muir has announced 20 actions his Department will take to improve water quality and tackle blue green algae (BGA).

After several months which saw MLAs fail to agree or sign off on a plan, Minister Muir made the announcement in the Assembly last week highlighting that many of the DAERA actions were already underway and those remaining will be taken forward by his Department ‘as soon as possible’.

The 20 DAERA actions form part of the wider Lough Neagh Report and Action Plan which is currently under consideration by the Executive. The 20 measures announced this week are DAERA-only actions and do not require Executive approval.

Speaking of the announcement Minister Muir said: “Lough Neagh is of huge importance to people here. It is our most important natural resource, supplies 40% of our drinking water and its significance to those who depend on the Lough for business and recreational purposes cannot be overstated.

“Whilst the wider Lough Neagh Report and Action Plan remains under consideration by the Executive colleagues I have a responsibility to ensure that the actions that my Department can take are taken and taken at pace. The time for action is now.

“I will continue to engage with Executive colleagues to secure agreement on the remaining issues within the report, but the situation is such that it is important to take the necessary action that we can now.

“We know that the policies and programmes we have advanced in the past have contributed to creating the impacts we are now witnessing. We also know that excess nutrients in the environment cause pollution in our waterways and we also know the main contributing sources are agriculture and, to a lesser but still significant extent, wastewater, from both treatment works and septic tanks.

“I am committed to improve water quality, address the challenges in Lough Neagh and tackle blue green algae and have already allocated £7.5million towards this, however, further investment will be needed not only in the short but in the longer term. Inadequate funding will have a detrimental impact on implementing the interventions needed.”

The Minister concluded: “The issues surrounding the Lough and the wider water environment are complex and very challenging. Addressing these issues will require changes in our behaviours and practices and I am determined to build and sustain a culture of environmental responsibility fostering an attitude of zero tolerance to pollution.”

Lough Neagh Partnership has expressed strong support for the announcement of the publication of The Lough Neagh Report and Action Plan, subject to Northern Ireland Executive approval.

With the visible impact of toxic blue green algae once again surfacing on the shoreline and across the UK and Ireland’s largest freshwater lake, the Lough Neagh Partnership said it views the report and action plan as ‘a crucial step in addressing the devastating ecological crisis facing Lough Neagh’.

Strategic Manager of Lough Neagh Partnership, Gerry Darby, has consistently advocated for prioritising the issues affecting Lough Neagh and its shoreline and said he was encouraged by the announcement.

Gerry Darby, Strategic Manager of Lough Neagh Partnership, said: “The Lough Neagh Partnership welcomes the announcement by Minister Muir that The Lough Neagh Report and Action Plan will be delivered with a commonsense approach.

“Whist we all know that there is no quick fix to improving water quality in Lough Neagh, we are pleased that the report contains four pillars of action to address the issues of water quality on the Lough including education, incentivisation, regulation and enforcement.

“We feared that there had been much talk about and reporting on the potential plan with little else being achieved however we are very pleased that Minister Muir has been true to his word in developing The Lough Neagh Report and Action Plan which, if approved, brings real and meaningful short and long term solutions to the table.

“Specifically in relation to the Resilience Project being undertaken by Lough Neagh Partnership, we welcome the announcement by Minister Muir that he plans to actively engage in the initiative and that he is committed to discussions with The Earl of Shaftesbury regarding the ownership of the Lough.

“I would commend Minister Muir and his Department for their determination in focusing on the sustainability of Lough Neagh. This plan’s goals are attuned with the strategic aims of Lough Neagh Partnership and we would appeal to the Northern Ireland Executive to approve the plan before summer recess as we look forward to supporting delivery of the plan once approved.”