The beleaguered UUP leader, Sir Reg Empey is still very much in the political arena.

He has met with both those in support of and those against the proposed Rose Energy poultry litter incinerator at Glenavy, Co Antrim.

Speaking just ahead of his Westminster election defeat, Sir Reg - who remains the Stormont Minister for Employment and Learning - expressed his concern at the implications of the dispute for the poultry industry in NI.

"This is by far the most controversial planning application in South Antrim and in Northern Ireland," he said.

"How it is handled could have major implications for Northern Ireland's poultry industry. I have carefully listened to the case put forward by Rose Energy and the opposing views of thousands of objectors through the local CALNI organisation (Communities Against the Lough Neagh Incinerator) and Randox Laboratories.

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"Given the very detailed planning and technical differences of opinion presented by both sides, there is an absolute need for a public inquiry into the planning application.

"A failure by Environment Minister Edwin Poots to grant such an inquiry would be a grave injustice for the many thousands of people in South Antrim who are demanding it.

"However, even with or without a public inquiry, the objectors to the project are clearly sufficiently determined and resourced to fight any attempt to grant planning approval for the incinerator.

"Thus, even if a public inquiry approves planning for the incinerator, there will undoubtedly be sustained legal action from the objectors to challenge such an outcome and block the construction of the incinerator."

He continued: "The potential for delays of up to five years from the outworking of this dispute will therefore place the Northern Ireland poultry industry in a potentially catastrophic position, considering the European Commission's patience with our poultry farmer's non-compliance with the Nitrates Directive will inevitably run out.

"It is the role of elected politicians in positions of power to exercise balanced judgement and leadership in these situations.

"I have considered all the issues and I feel that to allow this dispute to carry on without any definitive timescale for resolution is both dangerous and reckless for our poultry industry.

"We therefore need an urgent need re-assessment of this project and a re-evaluation of both alternative sites and technologies for the disposal of poultry litter."

(NS/BMcC)