AQW 50752/22-27

Mrs Michelle Guy
Alliance Party
Lagan Valley

Tabled Date: 02/09/2026
Answered On Date: 15/09/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Infrastructure to detail any actions being taken to prevent and mitigate against flooding during autumn and winter this year.

Answer:

As the Lead Government Department for severe weather, my officials work with others to develop a multi-agency severe weather framework. This helps to coordinate responses to severe weather warnings in the context of increasing numbers of winter storms and a changing climate.

Routine cyclical inspections also take place on drainage infrastructure with the maintenance of these usually increased before and during significant periods of heavy rainfall.

Sandbag stores at operational depots, and those at more remote locations close to communities at known flood risk, have been checked in preparation for the winter ahead.

My officials continue to monitor River and Lough water levels at over 130 locations, and this helps to inform any response.

Important and ongoing liaison with concerned communities is through the Regional Community Resilience Group. There are over 50 local groups across the North with work ongoing to help them better prepare for and respond to weather related emergencies.

Heavy rainfall can occur at any time, and my Department operates an on-call Duty and Flooding Officer Rota system 24 hours a day all through the year. The Flooding Incident Line is available 24/7. It remains the best mechanism for reporting flooding incidents on 0300 2000 100.