Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

The Chairperson was pleased to sponsor the launch of the Office for Environmental Protection’s (OEP) first statutory report on the Environmental Improvement Plan at Parliament Buildings on 24 June 2026. Speaking on behalf of the AERA Committee, the Chair welcomed the OEP’s new Chair, Dame Helen Ghosh, and wished her every success in her new role.

Robbie Butler, MLA, Chair of the AERA Committee, highlighted the strong and productive relationship the Committee has developed with the OEP throughout the current mandate, recognising the important role the organisation plays in supporting environmental accountability and progress in Northern Ireland. He also reflected on the Committee’s extensive engagement with the OEP since March 2024, including a significant evidence session in May 2025 on four OEP reports, discussions with the OEP’s Chief Scientist on the Nutrients Action Programme (NAP) Regulations report, and the OEP’s participation in the Committee’s recent anaerobic digestion stakeholder event.

The event provided an opportunity to reaffirm the Committee’s commitment to constructive engagement on environmental improvement and oversight, including ongoing scrutiny of progress against the Environmental Improvement Plan.

Learn more about the OEP's first statutory report on the Environmental Improvement Plan