AQW 14984/17-22
Mr John Blair
Alliance Party
South Antrim
Tabled Date: 18/02/2021
Answered On Date: 03/03/2021
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs what discussions his Department has had with stakeholders on the development of the Northern Ireland Peatland Strategy.
Answer:
In order to steer the development of the draft Northern Ireland Peatland Strategy, a Project Advisory Board was established. Membership of this group included relevant sections within DAERA and other bodies which manage large areas of peatland, such as NI Water. The Board also included a representative from National Parks and Wildlife Service in the Republic of Ireland, to avail of their experience and knowledge gained from devising a related strategy. Many important peatlands span across the border with similar issues and it is our policy to have a common approach to these issues if possible. In addition, officials have consulted with the Department’s statutory advisory body, the Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside (CNCC) whose membership includes environmental NGO’s, academic and farming interests. During the development of the draft strategy document, informal discussions have also been undertaken with Ulster Wildlife, The National Trust, RSPB, Northern Ireland Environment Link and the Ulster Farmers Union in order to gauge reaction to the content of the document. It is hoped to undertake a formal consultation exercise with all stakeholders shortly.
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