Northern Ireland's Environment Minister Andrew Muir has accused some politicians of a "deliberate attempt to undermine the science and evidence" around the ecological crisis at Lough Neagh.
In a wide-ranging interview with the Press Association, the minister also said he thinks it is likely that a private member's Bill will be brought to the Assembly around the introduction of an independent environment protection agency (EPA), after the DUP blocked his plans to create one.
Mr Muir also insisted there would be no change to ambitious emissions targets set out in Northern Ireland's Climate Change Act.
The Alliance Party minister said he had a number of priorities for 2026, including tackling climate change and improving water quality.
He said he wanted Executive support for his plans to strengthen regulation enforcement in relation to sewage pollution.
The minister also said work would continue to implement actions in the Lough Neagh Recovery Plan agreed by the Executive.
The lough, the UK and Ireland's largest freshwater lake by surface area, has been blighted by noxious blooms of blue-green algae for the last three summers.
The cause has been put down to an excess of nutrients from a number of sources, including waste water, septic tanks and agriculture, exacerbated by climate change and the invasive species Zebra Mussels.
Lough Neagh supplies 40% of Northern Ireland's drinking water and sustains a major eel fishing industry.
Mr Muir said: "Since taking up office, I've been very clear that the situation in Lough Neagh has been a result of decades of neglect and there are no quick fixes.
"It breaks my heart to see the situation unfold year after year in the lough.
"What we've got to do is take the actions to reduce the level of pollution that's going into the lough and also to be very conscious of the impact that climate change is having.
"That requires tough decisions in terms of reducing the amount of pollution, whether it's coming from agricultural sources or in relation to sewage pollution or septic tanks."
Respect the science and evidence
Asked if he believed the will existed within the power-sharing Executive to take the decisions he wanted, Mr Muir said "time will tell".
He added: "I believe that we should respect the science and evidence that tells us that in terms of remediation of the lough, partly as a result of the sediment and the phosphorus that is absorbed, that this will take decades to remediate.
"When you respect the science and evidence, it delivers lots of inconvenient truths. We should respect those, and then we should take the tough decisions around it.
"What I have seen, particularly in 2025, is a deliberate attempt by some to undermine the science and evidence around this, and I will stand four-square in defence of the scientists who are delivering the facts.
"We have peer-reviewed academic research that's been referred to as 'magical figures'. I think that's grossly insulting to the individuals who have pulled that research together."
Mr Muir said Northern Ireland is an "outlier" in being the only part of the UK without an independent EPA.
A recommendation for an EPA was made in a recent review of environmental governance and the minister has repeated his commitment to progress plans to create the body.
However, the DUP has consistently raised concerns over how an EPA would be funded and how it would interact with existing regulatory bodies.
Mr Muir said: "This has been with the Executive for a significant period of time. I've been told by the DUP the answer is no. There's no rhyme or reason behind that.
"It is entirely undemocratic that one party can block a proposal which was given quite significant support in the Assembly just before Christmas.
"That needs to be progressed, and if it isn't progressed, it's very likely that a privately drafted Bill will arrive in the Assembly.
"I think it's unfortunate we have to go down that road because one party seeks to block progress."
He added: "It's rather bizarre the DUP are prepared to draw a very hard line around the Irish Sea and create a border in relation to environmental protection when the rest of the UK have independent regulators."
A Climate Change Act was passed by the Northern Ireland Assembly shortly before the institutions entered a period of suspension in 2022.
The legislation sets out the proposed path the region will take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050, as well as achieving a carbon budget target of a 33% average annual reduction in emissions between 2023 and 2027.
Mr Muir said the targets are "ambitious, but achievable".
He added: "I think it's regrettable that some political forces, particularly in relation to Nigel Farage or Donald Trump, are taking a very different approach.
"But I'm not led by them. I'm led by the science and the evidence which states that climate change is a reality today.
"It's important we meet that obligation and that we actually confront the opportunities that are also set out for us.
Asked if he would consider reducing the targets, the minister said: "I'm very clear and very consistent that I will not be doing that."
He added: "Climate change is a defining issue of our generation. The Assembly passed unanimously at final reading the climate change legislation.
"We lost two years in relation to implementation of it (because of the collapse of the Assembly).
"I'm continuing the work to ensure that we meet our obligations, and we realise the opportunities."
