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Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Andrew Muir MLA and Ireland's Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD, have welcomed the Taoiseach's announcement of significant Shared Island Initiative investment to improve water quality in Lough Neagh, the island's largest freshwater lake.
A total of £49.3m (€56.7m) will support the new cooperative Lough Neagh Catchment Area Water Quality (LNWQ) programme. This comprises €33m from the Department of the Taoiseach through the Shared Island Initiative, alongside £11.5m (€13.2m) from DAERA and €10.5m from Ireland's Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
Running from 2027 to 2031, the five-year scheme will fund a package of ecological interventions and on-farm actions designed to raise water quality, coupled with the exchange of knowledge and best practice across both jurisdictions.
Minister Muir said: "I am thrilled to announce this ambitious project in partnership with the Irish Government - an important intervention as we strive to turn the tide on water quality in Lough Neagh. The Lough Neagh Catchment Programme supports my Department's multi-agency, evidence-led approach, focused on protecting the waterways flowing into the Lough. This funding represents a joint commitment to our island's largest freshwater lake and a substantial investment in its future.
Minister Muir added: "The ecological and biodiversity crisis in Lough Neagh is one of the most distressing and visible environmental crises that Northern Ireland has ever witnessed. Improving our water quality requires us to support all sectors, including our farming community, who I commend for taking positive steps to protect the environment by managing nutrients more efficiently.
He continued: "This initiative is based upon the successful Sustainable Catchment Programme approach. It provides specific advisory support and financial assistance to farm businesses through the development of water environment management plans and the delivery of specific on farm measures, such as water course fencing, creation of riparian margins, tree and hedge planting and livestock watering systems. This project focusses on farms in the Blackwater and other Lough Neagh catchments."
The Irish Government's Minister, James Browne TD, said: "The island of Ireland is a distinct environmental unit and really benefits from working together on cross border environmental management issues, such as the water quality issues in Lough Neagh.
James Browne TD added: "The Shared Island Initiative to improve water quality in Lough Neagh is a welcome step forward in addressing its water quality issues and the blue-green algae blooms.
He said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for continued positive knowledge sharing and collaboration in catchment science and water quality, which provides much-needed advice and financial support for farmers so they can take steps on farms to improve water quality. This builds on Ireland's Water Action Plan and the Farming for Water European Innovation Partnership (EIP) focussed on implementing the right measure, in the right place."
Both departments will now work together to finalise the delivery approach, with further details to follow.
According to the departments, the Northern Ireland component is expected to cost £31.5m, including £11.5m Capital DEL from DAERA and £20.0m (€23m) via the Shared Island Initiative. Of DAERA's contribution, £6.5m is earmarked for on-farm measures and £5m for monitoring, research and promoting best practice.
The Ireland component is anticipated to cost £17.8m (€20.5m), made up of £9.1m (€10.5m) from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and £8.7m (€10.0m) from the Shared Island Initiative. Shared Island funding will run across calendar years 2027–2031, with DAERA providing some preliminary set-up funding in late 2026.
