BELFAST City Council has passed a motion calling for Lough Neagh to be brought into public ownership due to the disastrous handling of its ecology which has seen unprecedented levels of toxic algae on the shores of the Lough.

All parties backed the motion except the DUP, who abstained. The Lough is currently owned entirely, including the bed and soil, by the Earl of Shaftesbury.

Green Party Councillor Brian Smyth brought forward the motion and stated that the Lough had been in the news over the previous month for all the wrong reasons and noted the destruction of its ecology and the rise in the deaths of birds and dogs with the algae travelling up the Bann River and making the lake dangerous for humans and animals.

LOUGH NEAGH: Blue-green algae has covered the shores of the Lough
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LOUGH NEAGH: Blue-green algae has covered the shores of the Lough

Councillor Smyth noted that currently 20 public authorities have responsibility over the Lough and all are passing the blame between themselves. Councillor Smyth described the Lough, which is the largest in Ireland and provides 40 per cent of the North's drinking water as a "dying body of water surrounded by committees".

Last month we reported how the blue green algae has now engulfed the shores of the Lough and resulted in health warnings being given to dog walkers, swimmers and local anglers. The blame for the pollution is cited as being industrial farm waste and agricultural run off which is rich in nutrients and which the algae thrives by feeding on. 

LOUGH NEAGH: Algae pollution at the Lough
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LOUGH NEAGH: Algae pollution at the Lough

Councillor Smyth stated that people may ask why Belfast Council was bringing this forward but noted the city gets most of its drinking water from the Lough. He proposed the Lough be taken into public ownership along the lines of other countries such as New Zealand. 

Councillor Smyth said the Lough was our most important ecological asset, and to hurt it, we hurt ourselves and that the climate crisis was no longer happening in distant countries but was now on our very doorstep.

Sinn Féin Councillor Matt Garrett said the party would support the motion and it had been a party pledge for a long time, noting it should be owned publicly with a clear management structure.

The DUP's Councillor Sarah Bunting said the party did not believe public ownership was the best method and called for better management before announcing the party would abstain from the motion.

Alliance Councillor Ross McMullan said locals had been severely impacted by the algae crisis and he supported the motion.

SDLP Councillor Séamus de Faoite said his party had supported public ownership of the Lough since the 1970s and backed the motion but also called for an immediate task force to tackle the current problems.

Councillor Michael Collins of People Before Profit said he supported the motion and added that the DUP should be ashamed for abstaining.