Northern Ireland Assembly Flax Flower Logo

COMMITTEE FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 18 MARCH 2009
ROOM 21, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
Fred Cobain, MLA (Chairperson).
Allan Bresland, MLA.
John Dallat, MLA.
John McCallister, MLA.
George Robinson, MLA.
Jim Wells, MLA.
Brian Wilson, MLA.

In Attendance:
Roisin Kelly (Assembly Clerk).
Conor Coughlin (Assistant Assembly Clerk).
Andrew Larmour (Clerical Supervisor).
Annette Page (Clerical Officer).

Apologies:
Cathal Boylan, MLA.
Willie Clarke, MLA.
Raymond McCartney, MLA.
Alastair Ross, MLA.

Members decided to commence the meeting at 10.37 a.m. in open session.

1. Apologies.

Apologies were received from:

Cathal Boylan, MLA.
Willie Clarke, MLA.
Raymond McCartney, MLA.
Alastair Ross, MLA.

George Robinson joined the meeting at 10.39 a.m.

2. The minutes of the meeting held on 11 March 2009.

The minutes of the meeting held on 11 March 2009 were agreed.

3. Matters Arising.

Members noted receipt of a letter, dated 11 March 2009, from the Regional Development Minister, and a press release from Northern Ireland Water (NIW), regarding the appointment of a new Chief Executive for NIW. Members noted that Mr Laurence MacKenzie will join NIW before September 2009. Members decided to invite the new Chief Executive of NIW to meet the Committee as soon as he is in post.

Members noted receipt of a letter, dated 11 March 2009, from the Minister for Regional Development explaining that he is unable to provide the three week extension requested by the Committee to the submission deadline for the PC10 draft Social and Environmental Guidance. Members decided to request briefing at the meeting of 29 April 2009, from the working groups involved in the PC10 process on the different strands of work. Members also decided to clear a Committee response to the PC10 draft Social and Environmental Guidance at the meeting of 6 May 2009.

Members noted a revised draft Committee response to the Utility Regulator’s Social Action Plan. Members decided to clear this draft Committee response paragraph by paragraph. Members decided to submit the Committee’s response, incorporating the changes identified by Members, to the Utility Regulator. Members also decided that this response be published on the Committee’s web site, and shared with the committees for the Environment, Social Development, Enterprise, Trade and Investment and the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister.

Members noted receipt of correspondence from the Department confirming that, following a recommendation by the Committee, it will undertake a customer service survey of the Strangford Lough ferry service during the summer of 2009, and inform the Committee of the results.

Members noted receipt of correspondence from the Department regarding the Bus Loop Service Road (Off Lakeview Road), Craigavon (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009.

John McCallister joined the meeting at 10.55 a.m.

Members noted receipt of correspondence, dated 12 March 2009, from William Wright, Group Director of Wright Group Limited requesting that the Committee presses the Assembly and the Executive for their engagement and constructive support as it and its workforce try to weather the economic storm. The Chairperson informed Members that both he and the deputy Chairperson have arranged to meet with the Minister for Regional Development on Thursday 19 March 2009 on other matters, and Members agreed that the Chairperson and deputy Chairperson should raise this correspondence at the meeting with the Minister for Regional Development. Members also decided to invite Wright Bus to provide evidence to the Committee on its work on new technologies for public transport vehicles as part of the Committee inquiry into Sustainable Transport.

Members noted receipt of the draft agenda for the Committee’s visit to Dublin on 24 March 2009 to 26 March 2009.

4. Lough Foyle Ferry Service

Members noted receipt of a letter, dated 10 March 2009, from the Department regarding the attendance of Departmental officials at the meeting of 18 March 2009, and a paper from the Research Service on the issues around the Lough Foyle ferry service.

The researcher, David Battye, joined the meeting at 10.57 a.m.

Members received briefing from the researcher on the Lough Foyle ferry service.

Following a question and answer session, Members thanked the researcher for his briefing.

The researcher left the meeting at 11.14 a.m.

Members also noted receipt of information from Limavady Borough Council regarding the Lough Foyle ferry service, including: the traffic figures, 2002 to 2008; an expenditure profile; background briefing; and request for tender for proposed roll on/ roll off ferry service 2009 – 2016 between the harbours of Magilligan, Limavady and Greencastle, Co. Donegal.

Departmental officials Jim Beattie, Brian White and Peter Barbour joined the meeting at 11.15 a.m.

Members received briefing on the Lough Foyle ferry service from the Departmental officials.

Following a question and answer session, Members thanked the Departmental officials for their briefing.

Departmental officials Jim Beattie, Brian White and Peter Barbour left the meeting at 11.30 a.m.

Members decided that the Chairperson would write to the Chairperson of the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment bringing this matter to his attention and requesting that, in light of the importance of tourism to the north coast, that committee takes up the issue of funding for the Lough Foyle ferry service with the Department for Enterprise, Trade and Investment. The Chairperson informed Members that both he and the deputy Chairperson were due to meet with the Minister for Regional Development on Thursday 19 March 2009 and Members decided that the Chairperson and deputy Chairperson should discuss this issue with the Minister at this meeting.

5. Subordinate Legislation.

Members noted receipt of the following new SL1s:

Members decided that they were content with the policy merits of the following SL1s, which were noted at the meeting of 11 March 2009:

6. Committee inquiry into Managing Data Risks in Northern Ireland Water Limited: Preliminary consideration of evidence received to date.

Members decided to move to closed session at 11.33 a.m.

Members discussed the uncorrected Hansard scripts and draft outline report tabled by the Clerk. Following discussion of the key points emerging from the evidence, Members decided to look at the first draft of the evidence chapters after Easter recess, and decided to schedule additional evidence sessions in May 2009.

John Dallat left the meeting at 11.45 a.m.
John Dallat re-joined the meeting at 11.48 a.m.

Members decided to move to open session at 11.55 a.m.

7. Correspondence.

Members noted receipt of a letter, dated 11 March 2009, from the Department acknowledging the Committee’s request for briefing from Departmental officials on aviation in Northern Ireland.

Members noted receipt of an invitation to the Child Poverty Alliance seminars hosted by Naomi Long, MLA, in the Long Gallery, Parliament Buildings. Members noted that they should contact the Committee office if they wish to attend these seminars.

Members noted receipt of the Equality Focus e-newsletter from the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.

8. Any other Business.

Members noted that, following the scheduled Committee meeting on Wednesday 1 April 2009, there will be a stakeholder engagement event in the Long Gallery, Parliament Buildings, organised together with the Environment Committee, on the draft River Basin Management Plans. The following Members confirmed their attendance: Fred Cobain, John Dallat, John McCallister, Jim Wells, and Brian Wilson.

John McCallister , MLA, declared an interest as a farmer, and raised the question that he had put at the meeting of 11 March 2009 regarding farming families and the domestic water allowance. The Clerk provided clarification on the situation, specifying that as water charges have been deferred for the year 2008/09, the domestic allowance has not been phased out. The Member indicated that he was content with this information.

9. Date, Time and Place of next meeting.

As the Committee is undertaking a planned visit to Dublin from 24 March 2009 to 26 March 2009, Members decided that the next meeting of the Regional Development Committee will take place on Tuesday 24 March 2009 at 4.30 p.m. in room 21, Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.00 p.m.

Signed:
FRED COBAIN, MLA.
Chairperson, Committee for Regional Development .

Dated: ………………………………………….

11 March 09 / Menu