AQW 49808/22-27

Mr John Blair
Alliance Party
South Antrim

Tabled Date: 29/06/2026
Answered On Date: 30/07/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail any cross-departmental work being undertaken to (i) prepare for; and (ii) respond to, future extreme heat events.

Answer:

Extreme heat is one of the 51 risks in the Northern Ireland Civil Contingencies Risk Register. As such the risk was identified and developed using a multi-agency working group to understand what the key capabilities available locally are and what the likely common consequences of a period of extreme heat would be here.

The working group identified that the key departments and agencies in considering the preparations for, and response to, an extreme heat event are Department of Health, Public Health Agency, Department of Agriculture Environment and Rural Affairs and Department for Infrastructure/NI Water. These organisations have collaborated to consider the human health impacts, animal health impacts, elevated wildfire risk, and the pressure on infrastructure with a particular focus on NI Water services.