Executive fail to agree Lough Neagh report

THE failure to agree a plan of action on Lough Neagh is another ‘broken promise’ by the parties sitting on the NI Executive, the SDLP has claimed.

Mid Ulster SDLP MLA, Patsy McGlone, was speaking on Thursday after the NI Executive’s failure to agree a report brought forward by the DAERA Minister which outlined more than 30 recommendations to address the environmental issues facing the lough.

Mr McGlone, his party’s spokesperson on the environment, said, “Earlier this year I welcomed the Environment Minister’s stated commitment to addressing the ecological crisis in Lough Neagh as a year one priority for the Executive. However, he needs the agreement of his Executive colleagues to deliver on that commitment.

“The Executive’s failure to agree the report and its recommendations is deeply disappointing. It is another broken promise by Executive parties who all expressed their concern at the ecological crisis in the Lough and declared it to be a priority for their parties.

“Responsibility for dealing with the crisis in Lough Neagh is shared between departments and it needs a united Executive approach. The failure to agree to the report’s recommended actions will condemn Lough Neagh to further decline.”

Mr McGlone added, “The SDLP is willing to work constructively with Environment Minister Andrew Muir and his Executive colleagues to properly address the ecological crisis in Lough Neagh, but they are the parties responsible for taking action on the Lough and we will hold them to account if they fail to do so.”