AQW 50070/22-27

Mr Andrew McMurray
Alliance Party
South Down

Tabled Date: 30/06/2026
Answered On Date: 08/07/2026
Priority Written: Yes

Question:
To ask the Minister for Infrastructure for an update on plans to establish a Flood Forecasting Centre for Northern Ireland.

Answer:

My Department is progressing consideration of the creation of Flood Forecasting Services in the North, and officials are in the process of reviewing a draft programme outline business case.

Developing such a service will be complex, with several independent work streams. Ongoing work to date and evidence from neighbouring jurisdictions has indicated that it would take a number of years for the full development of a forecasting service.

The next stage of the process will be for the programme OBC to go through the necessary scrutiny and approval processes, with a view to securing the necessary financial approvals to advance to subsequent stages of development.