Mobuoy Community Inquiry Terms of Reference
Published:
February 12, 2026
Policy Area(s):Increased Equality
Keywords:Environment
Mobuoy Community Inquiry Terms of Reference
The Inquiry will:
- Examine the environmental, public health/safety and governance impacts of the Mobuoy illegal waste dump through research and publicly submitted evidence and testimony.
- Provide a public, independent and expert-led process for assessing state and private sector accountability.
- Produce findings and recommendations modelled on a statutory inquiry format to address harm done.
- Empower affected communities by providing an accessible and credible platform for truth and accountability.
- Generate evidence and public pressure to secure an eventual statutory public inquiry.
- Support practical prevention measures and recommendations to reduce the risk of similar failures occurring again.
- Centre community-identified environmental and restoration priorities.
Scope
The Inquiry will consider:
- The adequacy of the response of the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) and the relevant planning authorities to the illegal waste dump at Mobuoy, including but not limited to action taken when the site was first reported, protection of nearby waterways and in particular the River Faughan, remediation strategies and enforcement action;
- The adequacy of the relevant environmental, planning and waste management legislation and policy in supporting DAERA, NIEA and the planning authorities to tackle waste crime and the consequences of the Mobuoy site;
- The environmental impact of illegal waste dumping at Mobuoy, including but not limited to the contamination of water, land and air, the threats to the River Faughan, the potential impact on ecosystems and the time for which the site will remain a threat to the local environment;
- The current and future public health impacts of pollution and environmental damage caused by the site and the ongoing potential risks to both local residents and beyond;
- The socio-economic impacts of the illegal waste dump, including but not limited to the effect of the site on the local community and their local amenities, the effect on local property owners, and the potential costs to the public purse;
- Acknowledge, identify and address environmental and safety concerns related to the potential building of the new A6 road at the site;
- The protection of the River Faughan and whether additional protections and/or rights are required, including Rights of Nature; and
- Options for the future usage of the site.
The Inquiry’s report will set out the panel’s recommendations for:
- Necessary legal and/or policy reforms
- Support for the communities affected by the various environmental, health and socio-economic impacts of the illegal waste dump
- Preventing similar incidents in future
- Future use of the site