Broad Welcome for Lough Neagh Action Plan as Stormont Gives Seal of Approval

24th July 2024

MacDara Conroy

Satellite image of Lough Neagh, the largest lake in the island of Ireland

The long awaited action plan for Lough Neagh that was approved last week by the Northern Ireland Executive has been broadly welcomed, as BBC News reports.

DAERA Minister Andrew Muir said he would put his “shoulder to the wheel” to implement the 37-point plan, which lays out the actions to be taken in the short, medium and long term to address the many challenges facing the largest freshwater lake in Ireland and the UK.

The minister added that the scale of the task is “unprecedented”, as blooms of toxic blue-green algae have once again been spotted in the lough’s waters.

The Lough Neagh Partnership was among those welcoming the plan’s approval, saying it “marks an important and positive step in beginning to address the future of Lough Neagh”.

But the partnership’s chair Gary McErlain cautioned “that the real work starts now as nothing has been done on the ground as yet”.

BBC News has much more on the story HERE.

Published in Northern Ireland Waters, Environment

Published in Northern Ireland Waters

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MacDara Conroy

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MacDara Conroy is a contributor covering all things on the water, from boating and wildlife to science and business

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