To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for his assessment of the Independent Review of Environmental Governance in Northern Ireland - Interim Report.

Mr Muir

I welcome the timely publication of the 'Independent Review of Environmental Governance in Northern Ireland - Interim Report'. It marks a significant step in the overall review process, with the independent panel now moving towards its final report. The need to strengthen environmental governance has never been more pressing, particularly in the context of the significant environmental challenges that we face, not least those experienced at Lough Neagh. Many others share my desire to see meaningful change and to support those tasked with protecting our environment. There has been positive engagement with the process to date, and there is clearly significant interest in seeing progress. That is why I chose to publish the interim report. The panel's final report is expected this summer, and I will then carefully consider its recommendations and include what can be taken forward in the short, medium and long term as part of a proposal to Executive colleagues in the autumn. We all must play our part in protecting our precious environment, and I will play my part in seeing the ways in which we can strengthen environmental governance in Northern Ireland.

Mr Muir

Thank you, Kellie. In the interim report, the panel identified two areas that, it feels, require further work. One is fleshing out the proposal for a new non-departmental public body. In essence, that would be the independent environmental protection agency. The other is reflecting the shared responsibilities for improving environmental governance in Northern Ireland. Once I get the final report, I will consider it and bring a proposal to the Executive. We have talked an awful lot about an independent environmental protection agency. The independent panel has done really good work on fleshing out what exactly that needs to be. The panel will finalise that, and, hopefully, Executive colleagues will be able to agree a way forward.

Ms Ennis

Minister, surely the people of Warrenpoint deserve good environmental governance when it comes to the ongoing decision by your Department and the NIEA to allow Re-Gen to store tens of thousands of tons of putrid black-bin waste in close proximity to people's homes. Minister, the smell returned with ferocity over the weekend. The situation is intolerable, and no community should have to endure it. That is a failure that has been going on for three years. What will it take for you or the NIEA to finally do something about it?

Mr Muir

I am very conscious of people's concerns on that, and many are rightly at the end of their tether. I will speak to officials this afternoon, including the chief executive of the Environment Agency. Whatever we do has to be within our legal vires, but I am conscious of the concerns and will follow the matter up today.