PROCEEDINGS OF THE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD IN CLOSED SESSION
ON WEDNESDAY, 2 MAY 2001
IN ROOM 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
1. Minutes of last meeting
2. Enniskillen Bypass
3. Matters arising
4. Statutory Rules
5. Regional Transportation Strategy (RTS)
6. Memorandum of Understanding
7. Regional Development Strategy (RDS)
8. Titanic Quarter Inquiry
9. Date of next meeting
Present were:
Mr A Maginnes (Chairman)
Mr A McFarland (Deputy Chairman)
Mr PJ Bradley
Mr J Byrne
Mr D Ervine
Mr W Hay
Mr R Hutchinson
Mr G Savage
Apologies:
Mr D Hussey
Absent:
Mr P McNamee
Mr J Wells
In Attendance:
Mr L Barr( Committee Clerk)
Mr S Fay( Assistant Committee Clerk)
Mr N Currie(Executive Support)
Mrs S Young(Administrative Support)
The meeting commenced at 10.40am.
1. Minutes of last meeting
The minutes of the meeting held on 25 April 2001 were agreed.
2. Enniskillen Bypass
The Committee noted a letter from Sam Foster MLA on behalf of the Fermanagh Divisional Ulster Unionist Association requesting a meeting to discuss the congestion problems and the state of the roads in Co. Fermanagh.
Agreed: That the Clerk will respond to the letter advising that the Committee had a full public meeting attended by Departmental officials and representatives of Fermanagh District Council in Enniskillen in November 2000 to examine the roads problem in the area and Members are fully aware of the problems there.
Mr Byrne joined the meeting at 10.42am.
3. Matters arising
There were no matters arising.
4. Statutory Rules
(a)The Committee noted a table containing a Statutory Rule which the Department intends to make. The Rule does not have not to be laid in the Assembly.
(b)The Committee considered the Statutory Rules:
Route B3 Markethill Road, Tandragee (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001;
Route A1 Belfast Road, Newry (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001;
Route B127 Ballyconnell Road, Derrylin (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001.
The Department intends to make these Rules which are subject to negative resolution.
The Committee agreed the course of action proposed in the Rules.
(c) The Committee considered three Statutory Rules, subject to negative resolution, which have been made and laid in the Assembly.
Question Put and Agreed:
That the Regional Development Committee has considered the Statutory Rule 126/2001 - Avenue Road, Lurgan (Footway) (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001 and has no objection to the Rule.
Question Put and Agreed:
That the Regional Development Committee has considered the StatutoryRule 130/2001 -Route B101 Oldstone Road, Antrim (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001 and has no objection to the Rule.
Question Put and Agreed:
That the Regional Development Committee has considered the Statutory Rule 131/2001 - Route C570 Greystone Road, Limavady (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001 and has no objection to the Rule.
5. Regional Transportation Strategy (RTS)
The Committee considered submissions made by interested groups in the RTS.
Agreed: That further research will be carried out into the submissions. The Committee will then consider the key issues raised within the submissions.
6. Memorandum of Understanding
At 10.51am the Committee received a briefing from;
Mr Robin McMinnis Air and Seaports Division
Mrs Barbara Faloona Air and Seaports Division
on the Committee's concerns about the draft Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Department and Belfast Harbour Commissioners.
Mr Bradley left the meeting at 10.52am.
Mr Hutchinson left the meeting at 11.30am.
Mr Ervine left the meeting at 11.45am.
Mr Hutchinson returned at 11.46am.
Agreed: The officials will take on board the concerns in a revised draft of the MOU. The Department will send the revised text to the Committee as soon as possible.
The Chairman thanked the officials for their attendance and they left the meeting at 11.53am.
7. Regional Development Strategy (RDS)
The Committee considered the other nine Statutory Committees' responses to the RDS.
Agreed: The Chairman will send a composite response to the Minister which will ask for details of how the views of the Committee will be reflected in the final publication.
8. Titanic Quarter Inquiry
The Committee discussed arrangements for the forthcoming evidence sessions. Members expressed gratitude for the work of the Committee staff in preparing the papers for the sessions.
Agreed: The evidence sessions on 4 May 2001 will be held in the Senate Chamber. Representatives of Harland and Wolff will be asked to attend an evidence session on 11 May 2001.
Mr Savage left the meeting at 12.23pm.
That the offer from Nicholas Rose, Chartered Surveyor and Property Consultant from GeraldEve, to give advice will not be taken up at this time but may be considered in the future.
9. Date of next meeting
The next meeting is scheduled for Friday 4 May 2001 at 10.30am in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings, Stormont at which the Committee will hear evidence from the Department and then at 2.00pm when Belfast Harbour Commissioners will give evidence.
The meeting closed at 12.32pm.