Poots sets out priorities during first day as environment minister

New Environment Minister, Edwin Poots, marked his return as Executive Minister by meeting with senior officials from his department today.

Heads from the Department of the Environment’s various agencies including Road Safety Division, Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA), the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA), Local Government Policy Division, Planning Service and Planning and Environmental Policy Group (PEPG) met with the new Minister to brief him on their various remits.

Following the meeting the Minister said: “Meeting with all of DOE’s agencies represents the spectrum of significant issues that this department covers. From local government to planning, from our natural and built heritage and environmental regulation to road safety, these are issues that touch the life of every citizen in Northern Ireland.

“Whilst all of the agencies are of vital importance, planning and planning reform is key. In this area my focus is delivering and getting results – to see outcomes not processes.

“Road safety is another big issue and I am pleased that my first duty as Environment Minister was to launch the Summer anti drink drive campaign “Hit Home” this morning. Whilst road safety figures were at their lowest in 2008 since records began almost 80 years ago, every death on the roads in Northern Ireland is one too many and I will be doing everything I can to tackle this.

“Obviously local government reform represents a huge challenge but also an exciting opportunity to create stronger local government more responsive to local needs.

“In waste management there is much work to be done to meet the targets for waste reductions and part of that will be to look at harnessing energy from waste. We face heavy financial penalties in the future if we do not hit these targets so it is incumbent on me to ensure that everything practicable is done to deliver a robust waste management strategy.

“I look forward to the challenges that lie ahead and will seek to ensure processes should facilitate, not delay, outcomes that are in the interests of the people of Northern Ireland and see it as my duty to take forward each of these areas on their behalf.”

Notes to Editors:

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