COMMITTEE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
TUESDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2011,
SENATE CHAMBER, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Cathal Boylan (Chairperson)
Mr Willie Clarke
Mr Danny Kinahan
Mr Patsy McGlone
Mr Alastair Ross
Mr Peter Weir
In Attendance:
Dr Alex McGarel (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Sean McCann (Assistant Clerk)
Mr Nathan McVeigh (Clerical Supervisor)
Ms Antoinette Bowen (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
The meeting began in public session at 12.49 p.m.
1. Apologies
There were no apologies.
2. Planning Bill – agreement of draft Committee report
The Chairperson informed members that they had been provided with a tabled letter from the Department in relation to Clause 131 and an amendment to make both time limits 5 years for breaches of planning control. This will lead to consequential amendments to Clause 44 as discussed in Committee, and also 43, 135, 149 and 163 which were agreed ‘as drafted’ during formal Committee Stage.
Agreed: That the Committee is content that a note is added in the Committee report after each clause that the Committee was content with the consequential amendments.
The Chairperson informed members that, at the meeting on 15 February 2011, members considered amending Clause 224 (Duty to respond to consultation) to ensure that councils would not be held liable for a decision made after the deadline for responses from statutory consultees if a statutory consultee later provided information that required that decision to be revoked. The Committee agreed to do this by inserting a new clause after Clause 187 (Compensation) and agreed Clause 224 as drafted. As the Committee had already been informed of an amendment the Department was proposing to this clause to ensure a consistent approach throughout the Bill, the Clause should have been agreed ‘subject to a Departmental amendment’.
Agreed: That the clause by clause consideration section of the report is amended to show that the Committee was subsequently content with Clause 224 subject to a Departmental amendment to ensure a consistent approach throughout the Bill.
The Chairperson informed members that they now needed to go through each section of the report for agreement.
Agreed: That the Committee is content with the Executive Summary.
Agreed: That the Committee is content with the Recommendations.
Agreed: That the Committee is content with the Introduction.
Agreed: That the Committee is content with the Consideration of the Bill.
Agreed: That the Committee is content with the Key Issues.
Agreed: That the Committee is content with the Clause by Clause Consideration of the Bill.
Agreed: That the Committee is content with the Appendices.
Agreed : That the Committee is content that the minutes of today’s meeting are included in the final Committee report without prior sight.
Agreed: That the report is ordered to be printed.
3. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Thursday 24 February 2011 at 10.00a.m in the Room 21, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1.07p.m.
Cathal Boylan
Chairperson, Committee for the Environment
24 February 2011
22 February 11 / Menu
