Northern Ireland’s Agriculture and Environment Minister has said he is “fast losing patience” with the Department for Infrastructure over water pollution.
Andrew Muir also expressed his concern that Belfast Lough could potentially become “the next Lough Neagh” in terms of pollution.
The minister was speaking at the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee during a special meeting on the environmental situation at Lough Neagh.
The lough, which is the UK’s largest freshwater lake by surface area, was this year blighted by noxious blooms of blue-green algae for the third summer in a row.
It saw the eel-fishing season cut short this summer, as well as advice against bathing at several north coast beaches because of the blue-green algae having been detected moving along Lower Bann River to the area.
Mr Muir told MPs the cause is down to an excess of nutrients from a number of sources, including waste water, septic tanks and agriculture, exasperated by climate change and the invasive species Zebra Mussels.
He said that implementation of the Lough Neagh Recovery Plan is progressing well, with 14 of the 37 actions delivered, with 22 underway, while one remains dependant on another action that is being taken forward.
DUP MP Gavin Robinson highlighted the assessment that one of the “culprits” is NI Water, and noted the body is not responsible to Mr Muir’s department, but to the Department for Infrastructure, and questioned whether Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has “questions to answer”.
Mr Muir responded saying he is “losing patience with Infrastructure”.
He told MPs: “The issue of sewage pollution is an issue of great concern for me, not just in relation to Loch Neagh, but also in other water bodies, such as, for example, Belfast Lough – Belfast Lough is fast becoming the potential to become the next Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland.
“We also have other water bodies, such as, for example, in relation to Lough Erne, and sewage pollution is playing a role in regards to those and that is a concern for me.
“My role sits in terms of regulation and enforcement around pollution, and I’ve been clear that I don’t think it’s acceptable that we have a separate regulatory regime for Northern Ireland Water. I don’t think that’s fair.
“I’m fast losing patience with the Department for Infrastructure in regards to this issue of sewage pollution. We need to be brave, and if people bring forward to me proposals to turn the situation around, I’m not going to be found wanting in regards to that.
“But it’s important everyone plays their role, and yes, I think it would be useful if the Minister for Infrastructure would come in front of your committee and engage with you with regards to these issues.
“I’ll come forward and I’ll take responsibility for the stuff that sits on my shoulders but others need to do the same as well. I think it’s important we do that.”
Mr Muir also emphasised the importance of listening to scientists, telling MPs that the situation had been warned of.
“It’s really important we listen to scientists, and my concern in recent times has been the deliberate debasing of science and evidence in terms of peer-reviewed academic research around the situations we are facing,” he said.
“It’s important to respect science and evidence, and to take action in response to it.”
