Lough Neagh, the largest freshwater lake in the UK and Ireland, is the heart of a vast interconnected aquatic ecosystem, from its surrounding catchment area to the rivers which flow into it and flow out to the north coast.
In recent years, that heart has been under increasing pressure and, in 2023, an unprecedented blue-green algal bloom appeared, causing immense public interest and which was visible from space.
In this video, Andrew Muir MLA Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, speaks about his ambitious Lough Neagh Report and Action Plan.
In July 2024, the Northern Ireland Executive approved Minister Muir’s Plan.
This bold and urgent strategy aims to tackle one of Northern Ireland’s most pressing environmental crises.
With 37 targeted interventions, the plan aims to restore the water quality of Lough Neagh, a national treasure that has suffered decades of degradation.
Minister Muir worked alongside officials, stakeholders, and Executive colleagues to push forward his Plan with determination.
The Lough Neagh Report and Action Plan is built around four key pillars: education,incentivisation, regulation, and enforcement. Each plays a vital role in restoring the health of the entire Lough Neagh catchment area, not just the lough itself.
Some of his ambitious interventions are already complete, including initiatives around livestock slurry management and nutrient pollution control, but many others, such as investment in waste water infrastructure and septic tank management, are still in progress.
He states that progress has been made and in some instances actions have been completed but that years of institutional absence and underinvestment are factors in the ecological crisis facing Lough Neagh.
The road ahead is long, and for some issues, such as sediment build-up, recovery could take decades.
Minister Muir is encouraging support from political leaders, communities, industry, and every individual who wants to see Lough Neagh thrive again.
