The Alliance DAERA Minister’s plans include a Nature Recovery Strategy to protect and restore our precious natural habitats, a Clean Air Strategy to improve the quality of life across urban and rural communities, the Peatland Strategy, Waste Management Strategy, and Wildfires Strategy, which each address crucial ecological and climate resilience priorities, and the development of the Climate Action Plan 2023-2027, which will drive Northern Ireland’s progress toward net zero and a greener economy.

Mr Blair has said: “I wholeheartedly welcome the minister’s commitment to delivering a series of ambitious and transformative environmental strategies and policies over the remainder of this Assembly mandate, as highlighted in a reply I have received to an Assembly Written Question.

“I am proud to stand, with my Alliance colleagues in support of these actions. Environmental protection cannot be delayed and is a shared responsibility. Political will across the Assembly chamber needs to be shown and sadly this has not always been the case, as witnessed recently when a DUP motion, calling for a halt on a consultation on the Nutrients Action Programme, received support from Sinn Féin, TUV and UUP.

“It is clear what we need now is reform to put an end to an increasingly sluggish Executive approval process. It is halting progress and causing major delays.

“Lip service or media statements are not enough to protect our natural environment. It’s time to act now so we can move Northern Ireland forward on the much-needed change planned by the DAERA Minister.”