I propose to take Questions Nos. 266 and 271 together.
I understand from initial inquiries that Irish Water has two Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with Northern Ireland Water (NIW). The first of these is a knowledge sharing agreement on issues such as asset standards, specifications and research etc. The second MOU with NIW is on a joint INTERREG funding application which is targeting two cross-Border projects. One of these is for wastewater infrastructure which will benefit shared waters – Lough Foyle and Carlingford Lough. The second is for a catchment management project on cross-Border catchments which should positively impact on quality of water abstracted for drinking water production. Further inquiries are being made with other bodies under my Department’s aegis and I will communicate directly with the Deputy, if further MOUs are identified.
My Department’s role in relation to North-South co-operation arises mainly in relation to the operation of the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC), established under the Good Friday Agreement. Building on the good co-operation to date across a broad range of environmental areas, including air quality, cross-Border waste management and environmental protection, recent discussions have explored the potential for even greater collaboration on climate issues and water quality, including water and sewerage services.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Northern Ireland Environmental Agency (NIEA) both belong to a five-agencies group (EPA, NIEA, Scottish EPA, EA(UK) and Natural Resources Wales) that meet to discuss matters of mutual interest across the UK and Ireland. This informal network fosters collaboration across a wide range of areas including waste management, water protection and management, environmental licensing and enforcement, radon, emergency preparedness, air quality monitoring and protection, environmental strategy, research, state of the environment reporting, IT systems development and geographic information systems. There have been particularly close contacts between the EPA and NIEA in the areas of water management and waste management for many years, and these have helped ensure good collaboration and co-operation between the two jurisdictions, when having to deal with cross-Border issues of mutual interest.
My Department draws on all relevant data available to support cross-Border co-operation. There are many sources of data concerning activity and needs on the island including the Central Statistics Office and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, and the EPA. Furthermore, in order to inform the development and implementation of policy measures in both jurisdictions, a number of studies have been initiated under the auspices of the NSMC on, for example, Policy Options to Reduce Emissions from ‘Smoky’ Coal and Other Residential Solid Fuels, and a study on the environmental impacts of Unconventional Gas Exploration and Extraction in Ireland, including fracking technology.
In addition to work under the NSMC, my Department co-operates with a range of bodies in Northern Ireland, including on marine and planning matters. In relation to marine environment and planning issues, each jurisdiction is responsible for the collection of its own data. However, there is both an obligation and a willingness to work together on a transboundary basis on these issues. That co-operation includes the sharing of data and information with each other on an all-island and Celtic Seas basis to underpin better decision making. Strategic planning in relation to territorial development is informed by strategies for Northern Ireland and Ireland through the Regional Development Strategy 2035 and the National Spatial Strategy 2002-2020, respectively. Strategic development issues, opportunities and challenges in relation to spatial planning are frequently shared in both the Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland jurisdictions. To facilitate practical co-operation, the Department of Regional Development in Northern Ireland and my Department developed a framework for collaboration on spatial strategies on the Island of Ireland. The Framework sets out the approach to be taken both by the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Irish Government in co-operating in the implementation of their respective spatial strategies.
Opportunities for further MOUs and greater collaboration on data collection and data sharing, including associated funding requirements, will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.
I look forward to continued co-operation with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs on matters of mutual interest particularly through the North South Ministerial Council, as referenced in the recent Programme for Partnership Government.
