COMMITTEE FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Wednesday 4 FEBRUARY 2009
Room 21, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Fred Cobain, MLA (Chairperson).
Cathal Boylan, MLA.
Allan Bresland, MLA.
Willie Clarke, MLA.
John McCallister, MLA.
Raymond McCartney, MLA.
George Robinson, MLA.
Alastair Ross, MLA.
Jim Wells, MLA.
Brian Wilson, MLA.
In Attendance:
Roisin Kelly (Assembly Clerk).
Conor Coughlin (Assistant Assembly Clerk).
Pauline Devlin (Clerical Supervisor).
Annette Page (Clerical Officer).
Apologies:
John Dallat , MLA.
Members decided to commence the meeting at 10.38 a.m. in open session.
1. Apologies.
Apologies were received from:
John Dallat, MLA.
2. The minutes of the meeting held on 28 January 2008.
The minutes of the meeting held on 28 January 2009 were agreed.
Brian Wilson joined the meeting at 10.34 a.m.
3. Matters Arising.
Members noted receipt of correspondence, dated 19 January 2009, from Gordon Best, Regional Director of the Quarry Products Association of Northern Ireland, regarding the outcomes of meetings with the Regional Development Minister and Finance Minister on 13 and 22 January 2009 respectively. Members decided that the Committee Chairperson and the Chairperson of the Finance and Personnel Committee would meet to discuss possibilities for Committee co-operation on this issue and that the Clerks of these Committees would investigate options and report back to their respective Committees.
George Robinson joined the meeting at 10.36 a.m.
Members noted receipt of correspondence from the Committee for the Environment regarding its inquiry into Climate Change. Members also noted that the public consultation phase of the inquiry has now commenced and the closing date for submissions is Friday 20 February 2009. Members decided to respond to this inquiry and that Members should submit their comments to the Committee Clerk for inclusion in a Committee response. Members also decided to consider a draft response at a meeting before 20 February 2009.
Members noted receipt of correspondence, dated 28 January 2009, from the Department regarding the A6 Dualling from Derry/Londonderry to Dungiven. Members decided to forward this correspondence to the Dungiven Bypass Committee.
Members noted receipt of correspondence, dated 29 January 2009, from the Department regarding the Departmental Business Planning process for 2009-10 and the Department’s request to re-schedule the planned Committee briefing on this issue from 25 February 2009 to 4 March 2009. Members decided to re-schedule the briefing for 4 March 2009.
Members noted receipt of written information regarding the ‘Climate Change and Energy Efficiency’ conference attended by deputy Chairperson, Jim Wells, on 19 January 2009.
Members noted receipt of correspondence, dated 28 January 2009, from the Minister for Regional Development regarding the New Road, Donaghadee, in response to a letter from Mr. Caldwell, a member of the public. Members decided to write to Mr. Caldwell with the outcome of the Committee’s discussion on this matter.
Members noted receipt of the list of participants for the Assembly Research and Library Services’ stakeholder event regarding sustainable transport scheduled for 6 February 2009. Members also noted that the Committee is planning to begin work on the inquiry following the Easter recess period.
4. February Monitoring Round: Departmental Return.
Members noted receipt of the Department for Regional Development’s February monitoring return to the Department for Finance and Personnel. Members agreed a Committee response to the monitoring round return. Members decided that the Clerk would submit this response to the Department and that this response be published on the Committee’s website. Members decided to request further information from the Quarry Products Association of Northern Ireland concerning planned roads maintenance schemes for the financial year, 2009-10.
5. Review of the Regional Transportation Strategy: Departmental briefing.
Departmental officials Mike Thompson and Alan Preston joined the meeting at 10.50 a.m.
Members received briefing from the Departmental officials on the Review of the Regional Transportation Strategy.
John McCallister joined the meeting at 11.02 a.m.
Following a question and answer session with officials, Members thanked the Departmental officials for their briefing .
Departmental officials Mike Thompson and Alan Preston left the meeting at 11.30 a.m.
Members decided to request further information from the Department regarding a presentation delivered by Mike Thompson in Newcastle and the legal issues surrounding the Government’s aims to reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2050, identified by Members during discussions. Members also decided to request briefing from the car share organisation Whizz-Go regarding its progress since launching in Northern Ireland. Members also decided to forward a copy of the Whizz-Go briefing received by the Committee to the Department for officials’ information.
6. Subordinate Legislation.
Members noted receipt of the following new SL1s:
- The On-Street Parking (Amendment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009;
- The Road Races (Eagles Rock Hill Climb 2009) Order (NI) 2009; and
- The One-Way Traffic (Antrim) Order (NI) 2009.
Members noted receipt of the following SL1 received in the Committee office on 20 January 2009:
- The Larchwood Avenue, Banbridge (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009.
Members noted that two objections had been received from members of the public in relation to this proposed abandonment. Members noted that these objections were detailed under the consultations section of the SL1 letter and that it was the opinion of the Department that these objections should have been raised with DOE Planning Service when it was considering planning permission. Members decided to seek further information on the objections from the Department and any potential impact on the making of this rule.
Members decided that they were content with the following SL1s, which were noted at the meeting of 28 January 2009:
- The On-Street Parking Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009;
- The Roads (Speed Limit) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009;
- The Glen Road, Londonderry (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009; and
- The Road Races (Benbradagh Hill Climb) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009.
Members noted receipt of the following statutory rules which are not subject to any Assembly procedure:
- The Parking Places on Roads (Fintona) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009;
- The Parking Places on Roads (Lisnaskea) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009;
- The Parking Places on Roads (Fivemiletown) (Amendment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009; and
- The Waiting Restrictions (Fivemiletown) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009.
Members noted receipt of the following statutory rule, which is subject to negative resolution:
- The B3 Plantation Road and C364 Clare Road, Craigavon (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009.
Members also noted that the Examiner of Statutory Rules will forward his report on this rule before the end of the relevant statutory period, which is 24 February 2009.
Members recalled that at the meeting of 28 January 2009, the Committee considered the following statutory rule subject to the content of the Examiner of Statutory Rules’ report, and recorded no objection to the rule:
- 2009/6 The Disabled Persons (Badges for Motor Vehicles) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2009.
Members noted that the Examiner’s report had been published and that in it he makes no comment on this rule.
Members noted that t he Ninth Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules to the Assembly and the Appropriate Committees,2008/09 session, was published on 30 January 2009. Members also noted that the following statutory rule, subject to negative resolution, was included in the Examiner’s report:
- The Old Carrick Road, Newtownabbey (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009.
In the absence of any objections, the following question was put and agreed:
‘That the Committee for Regional Development has considered t he Old Carrick Road, Newtownabbey (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009, and has no objection to the rule.’
All those in favour: Fred Cobain, Cathal Boylan, Allan Bresland, Willie Clarke, John McCallister, Raymond McCartney, George Robinson, Alastair Ross, Jim Wells and Brian Wilson.
All those against: none
Members agreed that the Committee Clerk would inform the Business Office of the decisions reached by the Committee.
7. Correspondence.
Members noted receipt of an e-mail, dated 2 February 2009, from the Independent Review of Economic Policy (IREP), requesting evidence to inform its review. Members decided to respond to this request for evidence.
Members noted receipt of a letter, dated 28 January 2009, from Mr Steven Patterson, Northern Ireland Director, Sustrans, forwarding the Committee a copy of a letter sent to the Regional Development Minister. Members decided to request that the Department copy the Committee into its response to Mr Patterson’s letter.
Members noted receipt of a memo, dated 30 January 2009, from Kathryn Bell, Clerk to the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure, attaching a letter to be forwarded to the Minister for Regional Development, regarding the Committee inquiry into funding arts in Northern Ireland. Members decided to forward the correspondence to the Minister for Regional Development.
Raymond McCartney left the meeting at 11.40 a.m.
Members noted receipt of a briefing paper from the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB), regarding its vision strategy. Members decided to forward this briefing paper to the Department for comment. Members also decided to request briefing from RNIB at a date to be arranged in the forward work programme.
Members noted receipt of correspondence, dated 21 January 2009, regarding issues related to the potential for clawback of European funds. Members decided to request more detailed briefing on the DRD projects listed in this correspondence.
Members noted receipt of the following invitations:
- 13th Annual Energy Ireland Conference to take place in the Croke Park Conference Centre, Dublin, on 10 and 11 June 2009.
- Seminar entitled “Delivering the most effective and integrated children’s policy”, to be held in the Stormont Hotel, Belfast on Friday 13 March 2009.
Members agreed to contact the Committee office if they decide to attend either of these events.
Members noted receipt of a press release, dated 30 January 2009, from the Department of Finance and Personnel, regarding the launch of the flooding incident line.
8. Any other business.
Members noted receipt of a memo from Alex McGarel, Clerk to the Committee for the Environment, requesting that Roads Service officials brief the Environment Committee. Members decided to forward this request to the Department.
9. Date, Time and Place of next meeting.
The next meeting of the Regional Development Committee will take place on Wednesday 11 February 2009, in Room 21, Parliament Buildings at 10.30 a.m.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 11.41 a.m.