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Proceedings of the Environment Committee

Minutes of meeting held on Thursday, 6 July 2000
in room 144, Parliament Buildings.

1.Minutes of the Last Meeting
2. Matters Arising
3. Access to the Countryside
4. Radioactive discharges and munitions dumps in the Irish Sea
5. Any Other Business
6. Date of Next Meeting

Present were: Rev. Dr W McCrea (Chairman)
Mr T Benson
Mrs J Carson
Mr A Doherty
Mr D Ford
Mr J Leslie
Mr M Murphy
Mr E Poots
Mr D Watson

In Attendance: Mrs D Pritchard ( Committee Clerk)
Mr S Fay ( Assistant Committee Clerk)
Mr N Currie ( Executive Support)
Mr J Nulty ( Administrative Support)

Apologies: Ms C Hanna (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr M McLaughlin

The meeting commenced at 10.31am.

Mr Poots joined the meeting at 10.32am.

1. Minutes of the last meeting.

The minutes of the meeting held on 29 June 2000 were agreed.

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2. Matters arising.

  1. Planning approvals.

    2. The Department's reply is awaited.

    Mrs Carson joined the meeting at 10.36am.

  2. New TSN

Agreed: That the Committee staff will re-order the questions about New TSN and send them to the Department.

  1. Draft Equality Scheme

    2. The Committee noted the Department's response.

    Agreed: That the Clerk will send a further letter to the Department expressing concern that advice is not obtained from medically qualified people in cases where planning applications are made on grounds of disability or illness.

  2. Farm Land Planning Easement Scheme.

    3. Agreed: That, as the Department for Regional Development is responsible for strategic planning, Mr Paisley Junior's letter will be sent to the Regional Development Committee. The Clerk will notify Mr Paisley.

  3. Historic Building Grant

The Committee discussed the response from the Department.

Agreed: That the matter be pursued with the relevant Department.

The Committee agreed to issue a press statement highlighting the Committee's concerns about the potential loss of funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

At this point Mr Ford brought to the Committee's attention a letter received from Ladyhill and District's Residents Association about a planning application for a landfill site in the Ladyhill area. Mr Ford expressed concern at the tone of the letter and made it clear that he always declares an interest when required to do so. He declared an interest in this matter as a Member of Antrim Borough Council and declared his intention not to take part in the Committee's decision on it. The Committee also noted that only Members of the Committee can take part in Committee debates and vote.

Agreed: That the Clerk will reply to the letter in these terms.

At this stage the Committee met in public session.

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3. Access to the Countryside.

Officials from the Department joined the meeting at 11.03am. They were

Richard Dalzell and Brian Murphy from Environmental Policy Division and John Faulkner and Ross Millar from Environment and Heritage Service. They gave a presentation and answered Members' questions on Access to the Countryside.

Mr Benson joined the meeting at 11.12am.

Mr Leslie declared an interest as he runs an Open Farm<.

Mrs Carson left the meeting at 11.36am.

She returned at 11.38am.

The officials left the meeting at 11.53am.

Mr Ford left the meeting at 11.53am.

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4. Radioactive discharges and munitions dumps in the Irish Sea.

Mr David McAllister, Mr Randal McDonnell, Mr Oliver McMullan and Mr Peter Mawdsley from Moyle District Council joined the meeting at 11.55am. They gave a presentation and answered Members' questions on the problem of radioactive discharges and munitions dumps in the Irish Sea. The Committee encouraged the representatives of the Council to raise their concerns with the Minister.

Mr Watson left the meeting at 12.19pm.

Mr Leslie left the meeting at 12.35pm.

He returned at 12.40pm.

The representatives left the meeting at 12.44. The meeting returned to closed session.

Agreed: The Clerk will draft a letter for the Chairman to send to the Minister expressing the Committee's concerns about the dumping and asking for information from the Environment and Heritage Service on devices which have been washed up on beaches.

That the Minister should be asked to pursue the matter through the British-Irish Council.

That the Clerk will advise Moyle District Council of the action being taken by the Committee

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5. AOB

  1. Charging mechanism arising from the Packaging Waste Regulations.

    2. Agreed: The Committee will return to this matter after recess.

  2. The proposed extension of the Partridge Shooting season.

    3. Agreed: The Committee will return to this matter after recess.

  3. Proposal to remove the 45mph speed restriction for Learner Drivers and possible later review of the "R" Driver Scheme.

    4. Agreed: The Committee will return to this matter after recess.

  4. Proposed re-siting of BBC Transmission mast from Sprucefield to Aughnatrisk Road, Hillsborough.

    5. The Committee discussed a letter from the Aughnatrisk Action Group.

    Agreed: That the Clerk will write to the Department advising that the Committee supports the request for a public inquiry into the matter.

    That the Clerk will write to the residents to advise them of the decision.

  5. Ladyhill landfill site.

    6. The Chairman advised that he would be seeing the Minister on 7 July to hand over the residents' letter of concern about the matter.

    Agreed: That the residents' group should be invited to make a presentation to the Committee after recess.

  6. Proposals to build apartments in the Finaghy and Marlborough Park areas.

    7. The Committee discussed letters received from residents in these areas.

    Agreed: That the Clerk will write to the Department enclosing copies of the letters and asking for details of the Department's policy in relation to Built Heritage.

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6. Date of next meeting.

The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, 7 September 2000 at 10.30am in room 144, Parliament Buildings.

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The meeting closed at 1.15pm.


29 June 2000 / Menu / 09 September 2000