Swann: Flood Response was "Not Fit for Purpose" as Minister Confirms New Measures

Robin Swann MP has said the Minister for Infrastructure's response to his concerns makes it clear that the initial departmental reaction to recent flooding in Antrim failed to meet the needs of local residents. In a letter to the South Antrim MP, Minister Liz Kimmins detailed the timeline of the departmental response during the January floods and confirmed that multiple attempts to clear water using gully emptiers and standard pumps proved completely ineffective.

Mr Swann said:

"The Minister’s letter is a frank admission that the equipment first sent to Antrim was simply not fit for service. While I appreciate the staff worked through the night, it is clear the response was playing catch-up with the river levels rather than getting ahead of them. We cannot have a situation again where residents are left waiting hours for the right machinery to arrive while their homes are under threat."

In her response to Mr Swann’s letter outlining his concerns, the Minister has confirmed that operational protocols for the Riverside area have been reviewed and updated with immediate effect to strengthen operational readiness. A new high-capacity pumping arrangement is now in place to provide enhanced flood resilience for the community. The Department for Infrastructure also has plans to engage with regional community groups and multi-agency partners in the coming weeks to review the recent flooding and discuss lessons learned.

The Minister further confirmed that sandbag stocks in self-help containers have now been fully replenished for local use. Additionally, the feasibility study currently progressing to assess the river flood risk to properties identify any viable schemes to reduce the impacts of river flooding and is expected to be complete by summer 2026.