Proceedings of the Environment Committee
Minutes of meeting held on Thursday, 9 November 2000
in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
1. The minutes of the meeting held on 26 October 2000 were agreed
2. Matters arising
3. Response to the Minister on the draft Budget and Programme for Government
4. Public Inquiry into the transport of children travelling to and from school
5. Planning (Compensation, etc,) Bill
6. Historic Buildings Grant
7. Historic Building Council (HBC) relationship with Environment and Heritage Service (EHS)
8. Local Government and Planning Service reviews
9. Statutory Rules
10. Telecommunication Masts
11. Letter from the Department regarding consultation with the Committee
12. Any Other Business
13. Date of Next Meeting
Present were: Rev. Dr W McCrea MP (Chairman)
Ms C Hanna (Deputy Chairperson)
Mrs J Carson
Mr D Ford
Mr M McLaughlin
Mr E Poots
Mr D Watson
In Attendance: Mrs D Pritchard ( Committee Clerk)
Mr J Beatty (Assistant Committee Clerk)
Mr N Currie ( Executive Support)
Mr J Nulty ( Administrative Support)
Apologies: Mr T Benson
Mr A Doherty
Mr J Leslie
Mr M Murphy
The meeting commenced at 10.34am.
1. The minutes of the meeting held on 26 October 2000 were agreed.
top2. Matters arising.
The Committee noted that replies are outstanding on the following matters:-
(a) The Department is to reply about its Quality Initiative in relation to the Friends of the Earth correspondence about provision of playing space;
(b) The Department for Regional Development is to reply about the siting of the storage plant belonging to McQuillan's;
(c) An Economic Appraisal in respect of a proposed ferry across Carlingford Lough is awaited from Newry and Mourne District Council;
(d) The Public Hire Taxi Drivers Association is to forward a list of questions to be put to the Department.
topMrs Carson joined the meeting at 10.37am.
3. Response to the Minister on the draft Budget and Programme for Government
(a) The Draft Budget
The Committee discussed the paper prepared by the Clerk.
Agreed: That the Chairman should write to the Minister with the Committee's response and to highlight their areas of concern including the need to continue to press for additional funding for the Historic Building Grant and to question what happens to those fines paid when the planning laws are broken.
Mr D Ford joined the meeting at 10.46am.
(b) The Programme for Government
The Committee discussed the paper prepared by the Clerk.
Agreed: (i) That the Chairman should write to the Minister with the Committee's response and to highlight areas of concern;
(ii) That the Chairman should write to the Secretary of State to seek clarity in relation to the forthcoming Local Government elections.
top4. Public Inquiry into the transport of children travelling to and from school
(a) At 10.52am the Committee began to take evidence from the following officials of the Department of Regional Development:
Mr Richard Aiken - Director of Transport Policy, Transport Division
Mr Keith Walsh - Principal Officer, Transport Division
Mr Denis O'Hagan - Head of Roads Service Transportation Unit
Mr Andrew Bready - Deputy Principal, Roads Service Transportation Unit
After a short presentation, the officials answered questions from the members.
Mr D Ford left the meeting at 11.03am.
Mr D Ford returned to the meeting at 11.17am.
Mr E Poots left the meeting at 11.40am.
The Chairman thanked the officials for their evidence and they left the Inquiry at 11.41am.
Mr E Poots returned to the meeting at 11.42am.
(b) At 11.42am the Committee began to take evidence from the following representatives from Translink:
Mr Ted Hesketh - Managing Director
Mr Mal McGreevy - Chief Mechanical Engineer
Mr David Cowan - Southern Area Operations Manager
After a short presentation, they answered questions from the members.
Mrs J Carson left the meeting at 12.22am.
Mr D Watson left the meeting at 12.27am.
Mrs J Carson returned to the meeting at 12.29am.
The Chairman thanked the representatives for their evidence and they left the Inquiry at 12.34am.
topMr D Ford left the meeting at 12.36am.
5. Planning (Compensation, etc,) Bill
The Committee discussed how they will deal with the Committee stage of the Bill.
Agreed: That members should notify the Clerk before next week's meeting, of issues they would like raised in connection with the Bill.
top6. Historic Buildings Grant
The Committee discussed the Department's reply to their earlier letter.
Agreed: That the Clerk should write to the Historic Buildings Council (HBC) about the impact of the moratorium on grants.
top7. Historic Building Council (HBC) relationship with Environment and Heritage Service (EHS)
The Committee discussed the Department's reply to their earlier letter.
Agreed: That the Clerk should:
(a) write to the HBC about their relationship with the EHS;
(b) write to the EHS for details of the cases where the HBC advice was not accepted;
(c) have research done into the position in other parts of the UK.
top8. Local Government and Planning Service reviews.
The Committee noted the Minister's reply to their earlier letter.
top9. Statutory Rules
(a) Local Government Pension Scheme (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2000
(b) Local Government Pension Scheme (Management and Investment of Funds) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2000
(c) Road Traffic (NI) Order 1981 - Recovery of cost of reissuing Driving Licences
These are to be laid before the Assembly and will be referred to the Committee for scrutiny. The Committee noted their contents at this stage.
top10. Telecommunication Masts
The Committee noted the Department's reply to their earlier letter.
top11. Letter from the Department regarding consultation with the Committee.
The Committee discussed the letter from Stephen Quinn, Permanent Secretary that laid out the Department's view on consultation arrangements.
Agreed: (a) The Committee endorsed its earlier decision that it wished to see consultation documents in draft;
(b) That the Clerk should write to the Department to re-emphasise the views of the Committee on this matter.
top12. AOB
The Committee discussed the current position relating to their call for a public inquiry into the siting of a dump at Mallusk.
top13. Date of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 16 November 2000 at 10.30am in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
topThe meeting closed at 13.01pm.
26 October 2000 / Menu / 16 November 2000