Debate contribution: Water, Sustainable Drainage and Flood Management Bill: Consideration Stage

Debate contribution by Mr Paul Boggs on 12 October 2026.

MLA: Mr Paul Boggs
Party at the time: Sinn Féin
Date: 12 October 2026
Type: Debate contribution
Business: Executive Committee Business
Heading: Water, Sustainable Drainage and Flood Management Bill: Consideration Stage
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5785907

Text

I welcome the opportunity to speak at the Consideration Stage of the Bill, important legislation that the Minister is bringing forward as part of her three-pronged approach to tackling issues with our waste water infrastructure, particularly when it comes to capacity. Addressing the challenges in waste water infrastructure is much more than an issue just for the Infrastructure Minister: it affects every aspect of public services from building new homes to hospitals to schools. However, the Bill and the way in which the Minister has worked with the Committee show that she is committed to doing all that she can to improve a challenging situation. The Committee's report, albeit that it was published before my time as a member of the Infrastructure Committee and as an MLA, has conveyed that most stakeholders support the need for a legislative framework to address water management, sustainable drainage and flood resilience: the Bill provides that.
That is more important than ever as we face a climate with more adverse weather conditions, including flooding.
I know that the Bill's principles were debated at Second Stage, and therefore I will not rehash them. Looking at amendments No 3 to 9, which are to clause 2 — specifically amendment No 9 — it is clear that the Minister has listened to the concerns of the Committee and stakeholders and has now named NI Water as the undertaker and the Department for Infrastructure as the body responsible for SuDS approvals. That removes the nervousness that some had about additional responsibilities for councils or different approaches that could be taken by each, and the path has now been laid to avoid necessarily setting up a new SuDS approval body. That is welcome. As the Deputy Chair said, there was significant Committee discussion about clause 3 and amendment Nos 10 to 13. I will not focus on those amendments too much. I will just say that we are content with the clarity that they provide in offences and penalties. Hopefully, the Department and NI Water will not need to use those powers in too many instances. I turn to clause 6. The Department's intention to place the homeowner flood protection grant scheme on a statutory footing is positive news, and I know that it will be welcomed, particularly by those who have been impacted on by flooding in the past but also by those at risk of flooding in the future. Amendment No 14 simply ensures that the Assembly has greater oversight, through draft affirmative procedure, of the regulations that will be made. That is totally acceptable. Finally, amendment No 15, which is to clause 15, simply mandates the Department to commence these provisions within a reasonable time frame of 12 months rather than that being at the Department's discretion. We are keen to support that through the amendment that the Minister has brought. In closing, I again thank the Minister and her officials, who have worked constructively with the Committee to get to this stage. I put on record that we will support the Minister's amendments today, and we look forward to the next stage of the Bill as it progresses through the Assembly.

526 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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