SDLP Agriculture, Environment, and Rural Affairs Spokesperson Patsy McGlone has urged Minister Andrew Muir to take decisive action to protect the environment, rather than launching additional reviews.

The comments came after Minister Muir announced a review into environmental governance during an Assembly session on Tuesday. McGlone said the importance of prioritising the establishment of an Independent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ensure robust and effective oversight of environmental policies.

Mr McGlone said: "With mounting challenges facing our environment and a wide range of issues requiring immediate attention and action, the last thing we need from the Minister is another review into environmental governance. This will be the fifth similar review here over the last 20 years and none of them have delivered the change needed. What further evidence do we need than the crisis at Lough Neagh and the ecological disaster at Mobuoy.

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"This review will simply kick the can down the road while our natural environment continues to deteriorate. While we wait for this review to take place and any outcomes our bodies of water will continue to be polluted, the impact of the climate crisis will get worse and our biodiversity will continue to be destroyed. We understand the need to assess options, but at this rate a review takes place every four years. Surely it’s time to act.

"The Minister's own party has publicly committed to the establishment of an Independent Environmental Protection Agency and it was included in the New Decade, New Approach agreement. That is the best way of delivering the change that we need and the Minister must deliver on that commitment. What we heard from the Minister today was more of the same old, same old that won’t do anything to deliver the action needed."