COMMITTEE FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Minutes of Proceedings
Wednesday 26 September 2007
Room 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Fred Cobain MLA (Chairperson)
Willie Clarke MLA
John Dallat MLA
William Irwin MLA
Raymond McCartney MLA
George Robinson MLA
Jim Wells MLA
Brian Wilson MLA
In Attendance:
Roisin Kelly (Assembly Clerk)
Gillian Lyness (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Clairita Frazer (Clerical Supervisor)
Jill McCoubrey (Clerical Officer)
Stephanie Galbraith (Researcher)
Apologies:
Cathal Boylan MLA
John McCallister MLA
Stephen Moutray MLA
The meeting opened at 10.32 am in public session.
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Chairperson’s Business
- Members noted the visit arranged to Belfast Harbour organised for next Wednesday 3 October 2007
- Members noted that it is proposed to take the Committee meeting to Londonderry and Newry on 17 and 24 October 2007 respectively. The Committee will visit Londonderry Port and Harbour and Coleraine Harbour when at Londonderry; and Warrenpoint Harbour when at Newry.
- Members noted the statement made by the Minister for Regional Development to the Assembly on Tuesday 25 September 2007. Members agreed to write to the Minister on the following issues arising out of his statement:
- to seek clarification on the steps agreed to progress the A5 and A8 projects and when he would propose to update the Committee on same;
- to seek further information on the proposed management structure for the A5 project; the remit and responsibilities of this structure; and the relationship between this management structure, the Minister and the Committee;
- to seek details of the proposed improvements to replace the two bridges on the Tyrone/Monaghan border; to ask if the Minister is aware of any local objections to such improvements and how he plans to address these; and to outline the estimated costs of such work, including approach road improvements in the context of existing pressures on Roads Service budget;
- to inform the Minister that the Committee understands that Warrenpoint Harbour has expressed opposition to the construction of a bridge at Narrow Water, and has a preference for the development of the southern relief road to facilitate both harbour business and tourism and economic and social development. The Committee is keen to stress that in its view, one project does not preclude the other.
Brian Wilson joined the meeting at 10.37 am.
William Irwin joined the meeting at 10.39 am.
- to seek further information on the costs and terms of reference of the jointly supported research study on cross-border community based rural transport.; to detail the milestones and timetable for its completion; and for an undertaking from the Minister that the Committee will have sight of any research updates or interim reports as the project progresses, and will be consulted in advance of decisions on policy direction in this area.
- to seek further information on the proposed Dublin-Derry rail link and if there have been any recent discussions to progress the rail link as part of the Trans European Network.
3. Draft Minutes
The minutes of the meeting of 19 September 2007 were agreed.
4. Matters Arising
PPS 14
The Committee noted a letter received from the Department dated 20 September 2007 in response to the Committee’s request for clarification on the PPS 14 ruling of 6 September 2007. Members noted that Mr Justice Gillen has set a further date of 27 September 2007 for a Hearing on remedies. Members were content to keep this matter under review.
Residents’ Parking Schemes Policy and the Disabled Persons (Badge for Motor Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulations Northern Ireland 2008.
The Committee noted the draft letters to the Department reflecting its views on the proposed Residents’ Parking Schemes Policy and the proposed Disabled Persons (Badge for Motor Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulations Northern Ireland 2008 as expressed at the meeting of 5 September 2007. Members were content to issue these letters.
Crystal Alliance
Members noted the letter from the Department outlining the status of the Crystal Alliance contract.
NIPSA officials and David Hall joined the meeting 10.53am
5. Briefing from NIPSA officials and David Hall on the update Research Commissioned by NIPSA on the Review of Water and Sewerage Services and paper from Northern Ireland Water.
John Corey, General Secretary and Paddy Mackel from NIPSA and David Hall, director, Public Services International Research Unit, University of Greenwich, London briefed the Committee on the NIPSA’s submission to the Independent Review of Water and Sewerage Services and David Hall’s research paper commissioned by NIPSA. NIPSA agreed to provide the Committee with its response to Northern Ireland Water’s comments on David Hall’s research paper.
NIPSA officials and David Hall left the meeting at 11.34 am.
Members of the Great Northern Railway ( Ireland) joined the meeting at 11.36 am.
6. Briefing on Light Rapid Transit Network
Bob Pue, Chief Executive, David Bell, Director of Finance, Graeme Ferguson, Director of Engineering and David Gabbie, Secretary of the Great Northern Railway ( Ireland) briefed the Committee. Members decided to return to this issue later in the autumn schedule.
Members of the Great Northern Railway ( Ireland) left the meeting at 11.54 am.
Department officials joined the meeting at 11.55 am.
7. Briefing on Rapid Transit for Belfast
Mike Thompson, Director of Regional Planning and Alan Preston briefed the Committee on proposals for Rapid Transit for Belfast. Members noted the Committee would be returning to this issue later in the autumn schedule.
Department officials left the meeting at 12.08 pm.
Department officials joined the meeting at 12.09 pm.
8. Briefing on Titanic Quarter Development
John Angus, Senior Principal, Ports and Public Transport Division and Peter Barbour, Ports and Public Transport Division briefed the Committee on the Departments involvement in the Titanic Quarter Development. The Committee asked, and the Department agreed, to keep Members informed of progress on Titanic Quarter development.
Department officials left the meeting at 12.21 pm.
Department officials joined the meeting 12.22 pm.
9. The Trunk Road T8 (Randalstown to Toome) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2007: and The Trunk Road (Toome to Castledawson) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2007.
Roy Sherman, Roads Legislation Unit, Jim Beattie, Divisional Roads Manager and Uel Wilson, Roads Northern Division briefed the Committee on this proposed major road scheme.
Jim Wells declared an interest in the completion of the Environmental Quality Impact Assessment for the proposed Toome to Castledawson dual carriageway.
Jim Wells left the meeting at 12.25 pm.
Brian Wilson left the meeting at 12.28 pm.
Members agreed to return to this issue once the Public Inquiry has been completed.
Department officials left the meeting 12.44 pm.
10. Subordinate Legislation.
The Committee was content with the policy merits of the following SL1s noted at its meeting of 19 September 2007.
- 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
The Committee noted the following newly received SL1s:
- The Off-Street Parking (Amendment No.2) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2007; and
- The On-Street Parking (Amendment No.4) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2007.
Members noted receipt of The Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules to the Assembly and the Appropriate Committees , dated 24 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 the SR 2007/370 The A2 Clooney Road, Faughanvale (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2007; and has no objection to the rule.”
All those in favour – Willie Clarke, Fred Cobain, John Dallat, William Irwin, Raymond McCartney, and George Robinson.
There were no Members against.
Question put and agreed :
“That the Committee for Regional Development has considered the SR 2007/369 The B82 Killadeas Road, Kesh (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2007and has no objection to the rule.”
All those in favour - Willie Clarke, Fred Cobain, John Dallat, William Irwin, Raymond McCartney, and George Robinson.
There were no Members against.
Question put and agreed :
“That the Committee for Regional Development has considered SR 2007/368 The Shaftesbury Road, Bangor (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2007; and has no objection to the rule.”
All those in favour - Willie Clarke, Fred Cobain, John Dallat, William Irwin, Raymond McCartney, and George Robinson.
There were no Members against.
Question put and agreed :
- “ That the Committee for Regional Development has considered the SR 2007/356 The Thornhill Road, Dungannon (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2007 and has no objection to the rule.”
All those in favour - Willie Clarke, Fred Cobain, John Dallat, William Irwin, Raymond McCartney, and George Robinson.
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.
11. Correspondence
Members noted the following correspondence:
- Letter dated 24 September 2007 to the Department for Regional Development requesting written briefing for the Committee for efficiencies required as part of Budget 2007.
- Letter dated 20 September 2007 from Conor Murphy, MP MLA informing Chairperson of his intention to report to the Assembly on Tuesday 25 September 2007 on the third meeting of the North / South Ministerial Council in the Transport Sector.
- News Release dated 18 September 2007 – ‘Northern Ireland Water to begin final work on Crawfordsburn Road.’
- New Release dated 13 September 2007 - ‘NIW Announce a major £27 million investment for Ballymena’.
- Letter dated 10 September 2007 – from Mike Maybin, Area Officer for Light Rail Transit Association. Mr Maybin has also provided copies of a publication for Members available here today.
Members agreed to invite the Light Rail Transit Association to brief the Committee when it moves to consider rapid transit in more detail later in the autumn session.
- Letters from the Environment Committee Clerk:
Members noted this correspondence was handled in the following manner:
- Letter from Avril Swann, dated 4 July 2007, regarding a grievance with the Northern Ireland Housing Executive: This was returned to the Environment Committee for onward transmission to the Social Development Committee.
- Letter from Portstewart Community Vision, dated 13 July 2007: This has been forwarded to the Department for Regional Development for response directly to Ms Yvonne Hamilton.
- Letter from Lady Sylvia Hermon,dated 26 August 2007: The Committee Clerk will write directly to Lady Hermon about this matter.
- Email from John Sedgwick, dated 28 August 2007, re overdevelopment in Ballyrobert: This has been forwarded to the Department for Regional Development for response directly to Mr Sedgwick.
- Letter from Greenore Residents and Tidy Town, dated 30 August 2007, regarding proposed development at Greenore Port, Co Louth.
Members noted that this letter was forwarded to the Environment Committee for a response.
12. Any Other Business.
There was no other business.
13. Date, venue and time of next meeting.
The Committee noted there would be no Committee meeting next week as a visit has been arranged to Belfast Harbour. Next Committee meeting will be Wednesday 10 October 2007 at 10.00 am in room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.50 pm.