Ford says river polluters need to be brought to justice

Alliance Leader David Ford MLA has called for the Northern Ireland Environment Agency to ensure that those who pollute rivers are brought to justice. He is raising the issue in a question to the Environment Minister on Tuesday 5 May and he plans to make reference specifically to recent contamination incidents at Sixmilewater in his South Antrim Constituency.

David Ford said: “It is staggering that given the level of the fish kill at Sixmilewater River in July sufficient evidence could not be gathered to secure a conviction against the polluter.

“However, prosecutions in themselves are not enough, and the Environment Agency must continue work to ensure such incidents don’t result in fish kills in future.

“Individuals must not get away with destroying our rivers. I am asking the Minister next week to outline how many high severity river pollution incidents occurred in 2007 and 2008, and I also want to know how many convictions were secured.

“Given incidents like that of Sixmilewater, it’s no wonder that people want to see the creation of an Independent Environmental Protection Agency separate from the department..”

ENDS