Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir is holding meetings with different political parties at Stormont to discuss the ongoing review of the Nutrients Action Programme (NAP).

“I have reached out to all political parties asking them to engage with me on these key issues and to give me the support that I will need in the time ahead,” he said.

Speaking at Stormont on Monday, Minister Muir said he met with Ulster Unionist Party leader Mike Nesbitt and the party’s agriculture spokesperson Robbie Butler last week.

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The Alliance MLA said he recently met with the SDLP, although he has not held meetings with either the DUP or Sinn Féin yet. “It is important that I do that,” he said.

When answering questions from MLAs, Minister Muir appeared keen to point out that there are other factors contributing to water quality problems in NI, aside from agriculture.

“The situation whereby we are pumping raw sewage into Lough Neagh, Belfast Lough and other waterways is not acceptable and needs to be dealt with,” he said.

Minister Muir said major investment is needed in the wastewater system in NI, although that ultimately falls under the remit of Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins.

“My role covers regulation and enforcement. It is not acceptable that there is a separate arrangement in place for NI Water that gives it a bye ball if it can outline how an incident is a result of historical underinvestment,” Minister Muir said.