To ask the Minister for Infrastructure why DFI Roads Southern Division's annual report to Ards and North Down Borough Council does not include any future, long term planning activities for the coastal roads around the Strangford constituency to take account of climate change and the impact from rising sea levels and erosion.

My Department maintains existing coastal defences where there is the potential for erosion to threaten the integrity of the road network, which includes both planned and reactive works. Details of planned maintenance work at road coastal defences are listed in my Department’s 2021/22 Report to Ards and North Down Council, which has been recently published on my Department’s website.

My Department is also involved in work being taken forward through the Coastal Forum Working Group by a number of stakeholders including DAERA, seven Councils and the National Trust. DAERA is in the lead in this ongoing project which involves a survey, study and modelling of coastal erosion and development of appropriate mitigation strategies. It is this group which is focussed on long term planning activities for the coastal areas around the Strangford constituency, and the rest of Northern Ireland, taking account of climate change and the impact from rising sea levels and erosion.