To ask the Minister for Infrastructure, given that the Executive has £250 million of resource funding to spend in 2020/21, whether she will consider bidding for additional funding that could be used to support NI Water’s reserves in order to mitigate against the impact of (i) COVID-19; and (ii) Brexit in the time ahead.

I would refer you to your earlier question, AQW 12660/17-22, which explained the structure of NI Water and that the company cannot hold reserves that equate to additional budget cover to be carried over financial years.

However, during 2020/21, I have secured additional in year funding for NI Water, totalling £32.5m, to address immediate pressures brought about by Covid-19 and Brexit, and I have requested that every effort is made to identify further options for utilising the Executive’s surplus resource funding.