COMMITTEE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

Minutes of Proceedings

THURSDAY 24 JANUARY 2008,
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present: Mr Patsy McGlone (Chairperson)
Mr Billy Armstrong
Mr Trevor Clarke
Mr Tommy Gallagher
Mr Samuel Gardiner
Mr Ian McCrea
Mr Daithi McKay
Mr Peter Weir
Mr Alastair Ross

In Attendance: Ms Patricia Casey (Assembly Clerk)
Mr William Long (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr Sean McCann (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Philip Maguire (Clerical Officer)

Apologies: Mr Cathal Boylan (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr David Ford

The meeting opened at 10.32 a.m. in public session.

1. Apologies

Apologies are detailed above

2. Minutes

Agreed – the draft minutes were agreed.

3. Matters Arising

The Chairperson welcomed Mr Alastair Ross to the Committee and informed members that Mr Ross had replaced Mr Maskey. The Chairperson thanked Mr Maskey for his work on the Committee.

Giant’s Causeway Visitor’s Centre Planning Application request for papers – case to Speaker

Members discussed the draft business case to the speaker in relation to the decision at the meeting on 17 January to exercise Section 44(7) to request all papers pertaining to the Giant’s Causeway Visitor’s Centre Planning Application.

The meeting moved into closed session at 10.36a.m.
The meeting returned to open session at 11.10a.m.

Mr Weir proposed the following motion:

That this Committee release into the public domain all legal advice and key correspondence relating to the Section 44(7) case to Speaker

The Committee divided: Ayes 4; 5 Noes

AYES

Peter Weir
Ian McCrea
Trevor Clarke
Alastair Ross

NOES

Tommy Gallagher
Billy Armstrong
Samuel Gardiner
Patsy McGlone
Daithi McKay

The motion therefore fell.

Mr Weir left the meeting at 11.13am

The Chairperson informed members that the consultation on PPS 18 – Renewable Energy was due to end in March 2008

Agreed: That Departmental officials brief the Committee before the end of the consultation period

The Chairperson informed members that the Committee will be visiting Teal Lough and Lough Fea on 14 February.

Belfast Metropolitan Residents Group Meeting

The Chairperson Advised Members that Mr Maskey had originally been delegated to meet with the Belfast Metropolitan Residents Group and that they should now decide on a replacement to meet with this group.

Agreed: That the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson meet with the Belfast Metropolitan Residents Group

3. Departmental briefing on Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) Bill

Mr Weir rejoined the meeting at 11.26a.m.

Departmental officials briefed the Committee and answered members’ questions on Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) Bill.

Agreed: That the Department provides the Committee with details of fees in the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain, details of the number of illegal operators, details of the number of vehicles not up to the required standard and details of the number of people killed or seriously injured

5. Briefing by Planning Service

Departmental officials and an official from Newtownabbey Borough Council briefed the Committee and answered members’ questions on the application of the planning process.

Mr McKay left the meeting at 12.03p.m.

Agreed: That the Department provides the Committee with a copy of the Bearing Point draft consultation report

Mr Gallagher left the meeting at 12.18pm

Agreed: That the Department provides the Committee with further details on its briefing document relating to the names of councils that had not forwarded statistics to the Department

Mr Gallagher rejoined the meeting at 12.23pm
Mr Gallagher left the meeting at 12.34pm
Mr Armstrong left the meeting at 12.52pm

6. Road Safety

The Chairperson advised members that a list of key stakeholders had been provided in meeting packs and that the Committee needed to target a range of groups to gauge their views on the key initiatives on road safety announced by the Minister at the meeting on 10 January.

Agreed: That a letter is sent to the groups identified asking for their views on the Minister’s key initiatives.

7. Statutory Rules

SR 2007/505 – The Local Government (Constituting a Joint Committee a Body Corporate) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2007 doc.

Question put and agreed:

That the Committee for the Environment has considered the Local Government (Constituting a Joint Committee a Body Corporate) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2007 and has no objection to the rule.

Members noted the eighth report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules.

Mr McKay rejoined the meeting at 1.03p.m.

8. Correspondence

1. Members noted a letter and reports from Mr Samuel Egerton, public hire taxi driver, regarding the Review of the OFT Taxi Report 2003.
2. Letter from Gerard McDonagh regarding a Translink Vesting Order at Derrybeg Lane.
   Agreed: That this letter is forwarded to the Department seeking their views on the issue
3. Members noted a letter from the Clerk to the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development regarding the Mourne National Park Working Party Report.
4. Members noted an e-mail from The Royal College of Psychiatrists regarding a briefing paper on "Building a Better Future 2008/2011" Mental Health and Learning Disability.
5. Memo from the Department of Finance and Personnel in response to the Committee letter dated 17 December 2007 to the Department for Finance & Personnel requesting a briefing on the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund in Northern Ireland.
   Agreed: That the memo is sent to the Department asking for clarification on this issue
6. Letter and Report from the Clerk to the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment regarding the Draft Action Plan 2008-2011 for the Regional Innovation Strategy.
   Agreed: That the Clerk highlights the main issues from this report that refer to the Department for the Environment and that the Committee discuss this issue at the meeting on 31 January
7. Members noted a letter from Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association (NIIRTA).
8. Letter from the Department of the Environment regarding the request from the Committee for Regional Development concerning a briefing on public safety zones.

Agreed: That a copy of the letter is forwarded to the Committee for Regional Development

9. Members noted an invitation from Greenbox Ireland’s EcoTourism Destination to attend their conference at Share Holiday Village, County Fermanagh.

Publications/Conferences/Press Releases:

Members noted the following press releases:

10. DOE News releases –

"Bangor Scrap Merchant Fines Increased to £40,000".

"Marine Climate Change"

"Two Fined for Illegal Signage at Garden Centre"

9. Any other business

The Chairperson informed members that he had raised the issue of the use of paper in committees at the Chairpersons’ Liaison Group meeting and that the issue was now being brought to the Assembly Commission to discuss.

10. Date, time and place of next meeting

The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 31 January 2008 at 10.30am in room 144 Parliament Buildings

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1.09p.m.

Patsy McGlone
Chairperson, Committee for the Environment
31 January 2008

17 January 08 / Menu