COMMITTEE FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Wednesday 9 January 2008
Room 144 Parliament Buildings
Present:
Fred Cobain MLA (Chairperson)
Cathal Boylan MLA
Willie Clarke MLA
John Dallat MLA
Stephen Moutray MLA
Raymond McCartney MLA
George Robinson MLA
Jim Wells MLA
Brian Wilson MLA
In Attendance:
Roisin Kelly (Assembly Clerk)
Clairita Frazer (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Pauline Devlin (Clerical Supervisor)
Annette Page (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
William Irwin MLA
John McCallister MLA
The meeting opened at 10.35am in public session.
1. Apologies.
Apologies were received from William Irwin and John McCallister.
Raymond McCartney joined the meeting at 10.37am.
2. Chairperson’s Business.
- Members noted a revised agenda for today’s meeting.
- Members noted that the Committee meeting next week would be held at the Park Plaza Hotel at Belfast International Airport which will be followed by a Committee visit to Belfast International Airport.
- Members agreed to make available copies of the Committee’s responses to the draft Budget, and the draft Programme for Government and Investment Strategy to those stakeholders who briefed the Committee.
- Members agreed to make available copies of the Committee’s response to the Minister on the Review of Ports Policy to the stakeholders who briefed the Committee.
3. Draft minutes of the Committee meeting on 12 December 2007.
The minutes of the meeting on 12 December 2007 were agreed.
4. Matters Arising.
- Members noted the revised consultation document from the Department for Regional Development. Members noted that the Minister for Regional Development would brief the Committee at next week’s meeting on the issues arising from the public consultation sessions and the questions raised by Members during the meeting of 12 December 2007.
- Members noted the reply from the Department for Regional Development to the Committee regarding previous correspondence from Finaghy Youth Group and agreed to forward this response to the Group for its information.
- Members noted a submission from CBI on the draft Budget, Programme for Government and Investment Strategy, in particular Annex A and paragraphs on the Department for Regional Development. Members agreed to forward this response to the Department for information and comment.
Jim Wells joined the meeting at 10.42am.
- Members noted a letter and press release regarding public appointments to Belfast Harbour Commission and expressed their disappointment with the lack of females appointed to the Commission. Members agreed to write to the Department asking about the appointment process and the number of females available for appointment.
5. New timetable for Strand Two of the Independent Panel’s Review of Water and Sewerage Services in Northern Ireland.
Members noted the reasons given by the Department for the delay of approximately three weeks in the publication of the Independent Panel’s Strand Two report. Members also noted the Minister’s letter and suggested timetable for the Strand Two report tabled today. Members cancelled the additional meetings scheduled for 14, 15 and 17 January 2008 and agreed to hold additional meetings on 21,22 and 24 January 2008 to consider the Strand Two report and formulate its response.
6. Subordinate Legislation.
Members were content with the following SL1s noted at the meeting of 12 December 2007:
- The Parking Places on Roads (Enniskillen) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008 and The Taxis (Enniskillen) (Revocation) Bye-Laws ( Northern Ireland) 2008.
- The Trunk Road T10 (Cherrymount Link, Enniskillen) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008.
Members noted the following new SL1s received:
- The Parking Places (Disabled Persons’ Vehicles) (Amendment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008; and
- The Bus Lane ( Smithfield Street, Lisburn) (Revocation) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008.
Members noted receipt of the following Statutory Rules which are not subject to any Assembly procedure:
- 2007/501 The One-Way Traffic (Portglenone) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2007; and
- 2007/502 The On-Street Parking (Amendment No.3) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2007.
Members noted the following Statutory Rule subject to negative resolution. The Examiner of Statutory Rules will forward his report before the end of the statutory period.
- 2007/504 The Devonshire Way and Albert Street, Belfast (Footpaths) (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2007.
Members noted receipt of The seventh Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules to the Assembly and the Appropriate Committees , published on 10 December 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 2007/487 The C554 Greencastle Road, Greencastle (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2007; and has no objection to the rule.”
All those in favour – Cathal Boylan, Willie Clarke, Fred Cobain, John Dallat, Raymond McCartney, Stephen Moutray, George Robinson, Jim Wells and Brian Wilson.
There were no Members against.
Question put and agreed :
- “That the Committee for Regional Development has considered the SR 2007/489 The C560 Aughrim Road, Magherafelt (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2007; and has no objection to the rule.”
All those in favour – Cathal Boylan, Willie Clarke, Fred Cobain, John Dallat, Raymond McCartney, Stephen Moutray, George Robinson, Jim Wells 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.
7. Correspondence
Members noted receipt of the following items of correspondence:
- Letter dated 26 October 2007 addressed to the Deputy Chairperson, Jim Wells, from Peter Carr of the Belfast Metropolitan Residents Group, outlining the concerns of the group with aspects of the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan. Members agreed, to pursue this matter and in the first instance to write to the Department requesting clarification over the role and remit of the Department in relation to this subject.
- Letter dated 17 December 2007 addressed to the Minister for Regional Development Conor Murphy MP, MLA from the Civic Regeneration Forum, Derry City Council enquiring on the progress of the A6 Derry to Dungiven dual carriageway project. Following discussion, which included reference to the environmental pollution and health problems in Dungiven, the Committee agreed to write to the Department for Regional Development asking for clarification on the status and timing of this dual carriageway project.
- Letter dated 18 December 2007 from the Minister for Regional Development Conor Murphy MP, MLA explaining the process for extending the Concessionary Fares Scheme to all men and women aged 60 to 64. Members agreed to write to the Minister urging him to progress with the scheme as quickly as possible.
- Letter dated 20 December 2007 from the Minister for Regional Development Conor Murphy MP, MLA responding to questions raised by the Committee to the Department’s consultation on the equality impacts of the draft PFG, Budget 2007 and ISNI 08. Members noted that the Minister would appear at the Committee meeting on 16 January 2008 to brief Members on same.
- Letter dated 20 December 2007 from Katharine Bryan, Chief Executive, Northern Ireland Water advising of the intention to publish the first Interim Report of Northern Ireland Water which was enclosed with the letter. Members agreed to return to this report and schedule this for Committee consideration in the coming weeks.
- Letter dated 3 January 2008 from the Minister for Regional Development Conor Murphy MP, MLA confirming his attendance at the Regional Development Committee meeting of 16 January 2008 to discuss the Independent Water Review panel’s Strand Two report. Members noted that the Minister would now appear at the Committee meeting on 23 rd January 2008 to discuss the Strand Two report.
- Letter dated 7 th January 2008 from Roy Adair, Chief Executive of Belfast Harbour Commissioners, offering congratulations to the Committee Chairperson, Fred Cobain, on his receipt of an MBE in the New Year Honours list.
- Letter dated 8 th January 2008 from the Minister for Regional Development thanking the Committee for its response to the proposals regarding the ports policy review, and giving assurance that the Committee will be kept informed of any developments.
- Statement from Environment Minister, Arlene Foster, regarding development restrictions in Airport Public Safety Zones in Northern Ireland. Members agreed to return to consider this statement in conjunction with their consideration of Airport Safety Zones in the near future.
- DRD Press Release – ‘Rural Transport to be Pushed Into All Areas’. Members agreed to request detailed briefing on this topic from the Department, to be scheduled in the coming weeks.
- Publication from Environment and Heritage Service entitled ‘Drinking Water Quality in Northern Ireland 2006 – A Report by the Northern Ireland Drinking Water Inspectorate’. Members agreed to return to consider this report in the near future.
8. Any Other Business.
Mr Wells offered his congratulations to the Chairperson on his award of a MBE in the New Year Birthday Honours list.
Members agreed a revised programme of work for the period January to March 2008.
9. Date, venue and time of next meeting.
The next meeting will be in Parliament Buildings in the Inishmore Suite in the Park Plaza Hotel, Belfast International Airport at 10.30am on Wednesday 16 January 2008.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 11.20am.