To ask the Minister for Infrastructure to detail the public engagement initiatives undertaken by the Rivers Agency in the last three years.

My Department’s Rivers Directorates have a range of public engagement activities. My officials regularly engage with members of the public during the development of our capital works scheme development, in locations, such as, Eglinton, Belfast and Portadown.

In addition, through the work of the Regional Community Resilience Group (RCRG), which is co-chaired by my Department and Local Government, there continues to be regular engagement with over 40 community groups in various locations across the North. These communities are primarily in flood risk areas and the work of the RCRG helps them prepare for, and respond to, weather related emergencies.

Following the flooding in the South East in Autumn 2023, and as part of the review process, there were a number of public engagement events held in Newry, Portadown, Newcastle and Downpatrick. One of the recommendations from this review is to consider approaches to improving community awareness of flooding which will be taken forward by both my Department and other multi-agency partners.

In addition, Rivers Directorate have also engaged with the education sector through attendance at the annual Ulster University science careers fair over the last three years.