Unionist vote to amend motion on Lough Neagh greatly disappointing, says Cllr McCully

Alliance Causeway Councillor Peter McCully made the statement following a meeting of Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council on October 3 during which representatives from the DUP, UUP, TUV and PUP voted together to amend Cllr McCully’s motion, removing the call for the establishment of an independent Environmental Protection Agency.

This “despite it being a commitment that was signed up to in New Decade, New Approach”, added Cllr McCully.

"The motion also called for, in response to the concerning amount of blue-green algal blooms observed in NI’s waters, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to swiftly convene a cross party meeting between affected Council areas involving all the relevant departments and agencies in order to develop an action plan, and for the NI Environment Agency to present to Council on its actions to respond to the occurrences of toxic algae.

“This decision to water down the motion put forward represents a dereliction of duty on behalf of unionist councillors when it comes to taking all possible steps to address and tackle the crisis we’re looking at on Lough Neagh, and in other NI waters affected by blue-green algae.

“Alliance is fully committed to taking the steps needed to address the ecological crisis we’re seeing unfold here, however if we’re to effect any actual change, we need all parties and individual representatives to be equally committed to seeing it happen."