AQO 2599/08

Mrs Naomi Long
Alliance Party
East Belfast

Tabled Date: 04/03/2008
Answered On Date: 02/04/2008
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of the Environment to outline the actions she is taking to prevent fly-posting.

Answer:

Fly-posting can spoil the appearance of our public spaces in towns and cities across Northern Ireland and this contributes to reduced local environmental quality. I appreciate that fly-posting is a significant problem area for District Councils, in particular Belfast. I also understand that District Councils and other interested groups are of the view that existing legislation dealing with fly-posting is ineffective and needs to be strengthened.

My officials have been considering the current laws on fly-posting with a view to introducing proposals for stronger and more effective laws in the future. This work takes into account developments in the rest of the United Kingdom, in particular, the stronger measures introduced by the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005. Full consultation on proposals will be necessary prior to the introduction of any new fly-posting primary legislation for Northern Ireland.

The Programme for Government sets out an ambitious programme for my Department and I am currently considering when and how best to progress the Northern Ireland Clean Neighbourhoods Agenda in the light of the range of key goals set for my Department.