Lough Neagh, Northern Ireland’s largest lake, needs significant investment to combat environmental problems, according to a new report seen by BBC News NI. The study was commissioned following a blue-green algal bloom last year at levels previously unseen. The report proposes more than 30 actions, covering areas including incentivisation, education, enforcement and regulation, to tackle pollution in the lake’s catchment area, which causes the algal blooms. On Thursday, the Northern Ireland Executive will discuss the recommendations. The majority of proposals are poised to be funded by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, with enforcement and regulation measures involving the infrastructure and justice ministries.
Some of the suggestions are already funded, including the Farming with Nature programme and lessons for farmers. However, more funding is required for action such as researching potential solutions, an increase in water quality inspectors, and centralisation of scientific resources for Lough Neagh. Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir emphasised in April that the lake must be a priority and called for effective responses to the problems.
The Lough Neagh Report contains solutions to problems that have been developed over years and is highly anticipated. Improvements to water quality in Northern Ireland should come at a cost. However, the report’s recommendations are projected to be worth millions, a significant figure to consider in the already-strained budget of Stormont. If the ministers’ declared concern for Lough Neagh’s condition is to be taken seriously, they will have to follow through and put money behind their words.
The primary cause of the blue-green algae is pollutants present in the lake’s catchment area, which are harmful to animals and can cause illness in humans. The report’s suggested actions will involve short, medium and long-term implementations to combat these developments and improve overall water quality across Northern Ireland. Ownership of the lake is not expected to be included in the report, although many of its elements form part of an overdue legally-required Environmental Improvement Plan dependent on executive endorsement since March
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