COMMITTEE FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Minutes of Proceedings
Wednesday 19 September 2007
Room 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
Fred Cobain MLA (Chairperson)
Cathal Boylan MLA
John Dallat MLA
John McCallister MLA
George Robinson MLA
Brian Wilson MLA

In Attendance:
Debbie Pritchard (Principal Clerk)
Roisin Kelly (Assembly Clerk)
Gillian Lyness (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Clairita Frazer (Clerical Supervisor)
Jill McCoubrey (Clerical Officer)
Stephanie Galbraith (Researcher)

Apologies:
Willie Clarke MLA
William Irwin MLA
Raymond McCartney MLA
Stephen Moutray MLA
Jim Wells MLA

The meeting opened at 10.35 am in public session.

1. Apologies

Apologies are detailed above.

2. Chairperson’s Business

• Members noted the seminar attended in Dublin by the Chairperson, on Tuesday 18 September 2007, ‘Gateways to an All Island Economy: Developing Ports and Airports Infrastructure’.
• Members noted that no suggestions for a potential inquiry had been received to date.

3. Draft Minutes

The minutes of the meeting of 12 September 2007 were agreed.

4. Matters Arising

• The Committee noted that the Department returned to court on Friday 14 September 2007 on PPS14 and that Judge Gillen decided to put off making an order for another week.

Members were content to wait until the judgement was known.

• The Committee noted the itinerary for the Committee visit to Belfast Harbour on Wednesday 3 October 2007.

Department officials joined the meeting 10.41am

5. The Trunk Road T21 ( Belfast to Carrickfergus) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2007.

Roy Sherman, Roads Legislation Unit, and Kevin Monaghan, Deputy Divisional Roads Manager Eastern Division briefed the Committee on the proposed major road scheme. Following a question and answer session, the Department agreed to forward the summary Environmental Impact Study carried out on the proposed scheme, details of budget provision and details on the value of the land that the Department would be vesting to complete the proposed scheme.

Department officials left the meeting 11.14 am.
Department officials joined the meeting 11.15am

6. Briefing from the Department – Ports Policy.

Brian White, Director of Ports and Public Transport Division and John Angus, Senior Principal, Ports and Public Transport Division, briefed the Committee on the Ports Policy.

The Committee noted the briefing.

John Dallat left the meeting at 11.46 am.
Department officials left the meeting at 11.50 am.

7. Subordinate Legislation.

The Committee was content with the policy merits of the following SL1s noted at its meeting of 12 September 2007.

• The Parking Places on Roads (Londonderry) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2007; and
• The On-Street Parking (Amendment) (Newry) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2007.

The Committee noted the following newly received SL1s:

• The Parking Places on Roads ( Newcastle) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2007;
• The Prohibition of Traffic (Woodvale, Belfast) (Amendment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2007;
• The Ridgeway Street (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2007;
• The Waiting Restrictions (Cookstown) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2007; and
• The Waiting Restrictions (Magherafelt) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2007

Members noted receipt of The Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules to the Assembly and the Appropriate Committees , dated 7 September 2007. In the absence of any objections, the following questions were put and agreed:

Question put and agreed:

“ That the Committee for Regional Development has considered theSR 2007/311 The Traffic Signs (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2007 and has no objection to the rule.”

All those in favour – Fred Cobain, Cathal Boylan, John McCallister, George Robinson and Brian Wilson.
There were no Members against.

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee for Regional Development has considered the SR 2007/312 The Harbour Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2007 and has no objection to the rule.”

All those in favour - Fred Cobain, Cathal Boylan, John McCallister, George Robinson and Brian Wilson.
There were no Members against.

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee for Regional Development has considered the SR 2007/313 The Folly Lane, Downpatrick (Stopping-Up) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2007and has no objection to the rule.”

All those in favour - Fred Cobain, Cathal Boylan, John McCallister, George Robinson and Brian Wilson.
There were no Members against.

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee for Regional Development has considered theSR 2007/315 The Newton Heights, Belfast (Footpath) (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2007 and has no objection to the rule.”

All those in favour - Fred Cobain, Cathal Boylan, John McCallister, George Robinson and Brian Wilson.
There were no Members against.

John Dallat joined the meeting 11.54 am.
John McCallister left the meeting 11.54 am.

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee for Regional Development has considered theSR 2007/316 The Elgin Street, Belfast (Footpath) (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2007 and has no objection to the rule.”

All those in favour - Fred Cobain, Cathal Boylan, John Dallat, George Robinson and Brian Wilson.
There were no Members against.

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee for Regional Development has considered theSR 2007/346 The Roads (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2007 and has no objection to the rule.”

All those in favour - Fred Cobain, Cathal Boylan, John Dallat, George Robinson and Brian Wilson.
There were no Members against.

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee for Regional Development has considered theSR 2007/350 The Route U1541 Creevangar Road, Omagh (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2007 and has no objection to the rule.”

All those in favour - Fred Cobain, Cathal Boylan, John Dallat, George Robinson and Brian Wilson.
There were no Members against.

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee for Regional Development has considered theSR 2007/351 The Queens Road, Antrim (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2007and has no objection to the rule.”

All those in favour - Fred Cobain, Cathal Boylan, John Dallat, George Robinson and Brian Wilson.
There were no Members against.

Members were content that the Clerk should notify the Business Office on the decisions reached by the Committee in considering these Statutory Rules.

8. Correspondence.

Members noted the following correspondence:

• 12/09/2007 - Letter from Northern Ireland Water – the official opening of Dundrum Wastewater Treatment Works is rescheduled to 3.00pm on Wednesday 26 September 2007.
• 17/09/2007 - Press Release – ‘Appointments to the Warrenpoint Harbour Authority’.
• 14/09/2007 - Letter from Department - ‘Appointments to the Warrenpoint Harbour Authority’, with effect from 1 October 2007.
• 13/09/2007 - News Release – ‘Northern Ireland Water Announce a major £27 million investment for Ballymena.
• 12/09/2007 - Letter from Chairperson for Finance and Personnel to Captain Cullen of Irish Airlines Pilots Association regarding the proposed recruitment of pilots and cabin crew by Aer Lingus in Belfast including the original request from Captain Cullen to meet with Committee for Finance and Personnel.

Members decided to refer the matter to the Employment and Learning Committee, as the issues raised in this correspondence relate to the terms and conditions of employment.

9. Any Other Business.

There was no other business.

10. Date, venue and time of next meeting.

The Committee agreed that the next meeting be held on Wednesday 26 September 2007 at 10.30 am in Room 144.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 11.55 pm.

Signed:
FRED COBAIN MLA
Chairperson, Committee for Regional Development.

12 September 2007 / Menu