Responsibility for the management of environmental pressures in the catchment area of Lough Neagh lies primarily with the authorities in Northern Ireland. Monaghan County Council, with the support of the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) shared service, is the lead environmental authority in relation to catchment management in the small area of the Blackwater catchment that flows into the Bann catchment, which is predominantly within Northern Ireland.
The recent launch of the Lough Neagh Report and Action Plan, the development of an Inter-Agency Monitoring Protocol and the establishment of the joint Department of Agriculture, Environment & Rural Affairs/Department of Infrastructure Water Quality Steering Group are welcome developments to help to address the situation in Lough Neagh.
On 5 September 2024, Ireland published its third-cycle River Basin Management Plan, the Water Action Plan 2024. A significant initiative launched under the Water Action Plan is the development of Catchment Management Work Plans by LAWPRO to address water quality at water body scale.
The rollout of a pilot Catchment Management Work Plan is being undertaken in the Newry, Fayne, Glyde and Dee cross-border catchment, the purpose of which will be to share information on catchment characteristics, current water quality issues and pressures, while also setting out the actions identified by implementing bodies required for the waterbodies in the catchment. It will improve collaboration between cross-border Local Authorities and agencies and will also provide valuable learnings and act as a blueprint to develop the research and expertise to help address water quality in all our catchments in both Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Cooperation at a technical level between agencies both North and South is continuing, as has engagement through various implementation bodies under the Water Framework Directive (WFD). My Department is seeking to re-establish meetings of the North South Water Framework Directive Coordination Group. My Department recognises the need for and is open to engaging with colleagues in the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) to commence meetings of the group on a regular basis.
In addition, my Department and DAERA and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency are working together on the production of a single “Shared Waters” document to cover our International River Basin Districts under the respective River Basin Management Plans. The document will set out the actions being taken north and south to address pressures on our shared catchments.
The Government is committed to the agreement that was made during the North South Ministerial Council Plenary in April for both jurisdictions to share learning, expertise and research to help address the environmental challenges facing our shared water courses. My Department is available to coordinate whatever assistance is required from the relevant authorities in Ireland to help address the challenging situation in Lough Neagh.
