COMMITTEE FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
TUESDAY 24 FEBRUARY 2009
ROOM 21, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Jim Wells , MLA (Deputy Chairperson).
Cathal Boylan, MLA.
Allan Bresland, MLA.
Willie Clarke, MLA.
John Dallat , MLA.
John McCallister, MLA.
Raymond McCartney, MLA.
George Robinson , MLA
Alastair Ross, MLA.
Brian Wilson, MLA.
In Attendance:
Roisin Kelly (Assembly Clerk).
Annette Page (Clerical Officer).
Kevin Stewart (Clerical Officer).
Apologies:
Fred Cobain, MLA (Chairperson).
Members decided to commence the meeting at 3.43 p.m. in open session.
1. Apologies.
Apologies were received from:
Fred Cobain, MLA (Chairperson).
2. The minutes of the meeting held on 18 February 2009.
The minutes of the meeting held on 18 February 2009 were agreed.
3. Matters Arising.
Members noted receipt of correspondence, dated 16 February 2009, regarding information requested at the meeting held on 15 October 2008 on the Department for Regional Development’s Business Plan 2009 - 10, and agreed to return to the issues raised in the letter, at the meeting to be held on 4 March 2009, when Departmental officials are scheduled to brief Members on the Business Plan for 2009-10.
Members noted receipt of correspondence, dated 16 February 2009, from Sheila McClelland Head of Outreach for the Northern Ireland Assembly regarding the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly (BIPA) Committee report into ‘Renewable energy except Nuclear’. The Deputy Chairperson, Jim Wells, MLA, declared an interest as a Member of the British- Irish Parliamentary Assembly (BIPA), and also stated that Willie Clarke, MLA, is an Associate Member of BIPA. Members decided to write to the Department requesting sight of its response to the report.
Willie Clarke joined the meeting at 3.46 p.m .
Members noted receipt of correspondence, dated 13 February 2009, from the Minister for Regional Development, Conor Murphy, MP, MLA, attaching a response to Steven Patterson, of Sustrans, regarding the Comber Greenway. Members decided to write to the Minister acknowledging receipt of his response, and to encourage him to meet with Mr Patterson should any further developments arise in relation to the Comber Greenway.
Brian Wilson joined the meeting at 3.48 p.m.
Members noted receipt of a memo, dated 17 February 2009, from Aoibhinn Treanor, Clerk to the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister (OFMDFM), attaching an Equality Commission Report on public authorities who fail to comply with the Disability Discrimination Order 2006.
Members agreed a response to the Independent Review of Economic Policy (Department for Enterprise, Trade and Investment/Invest NI), and agreed to publish the response on the Assembly’s web site.
Members agreed a response to the Committee for Finance and Personnel inquiry into ‘Public Procurement Policy and Practice in Northern Ireland’, and agreed to publish the response on the Assembly’s website.
John McCallister joined the meeting at 3.57 p.m.
John Dallat joined the meeting at 4.03 p.m.
Raymond McCartney left the meeting at 4.03 p.m.
Members considered a draft response to the Environment Committee inquiry into climate change. During discussion, Members agreed that the Committee Clerk would write to the Environment Committee, requesting an extension to the deadline for response to the inquiry, and that the Committee would return to consider the response at the next meeting.
Members agreed a response to the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister’s request for responses to the Executive’s Response to the Barroso Taskforce Report. Members decided to write to the Department for Regional Development requesting more detailed briefing on the Department’s lead activities in relation to the Barroso Taskforce Report, and 6-monthly updates on progress against its identified lead actions. In addition Members agreed to publish the response on the Assembly’s website.
Allan Bresland left the meeting at 4.27 p.m.
4. Subordinate Legislation.
Members noted receipt of the following new SL1s:
- The Private Access at Junction of Tandragee Road and Brackagh Road, Portadown (Stopping-Up) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009 ;
- The Parking and Waiting Restrictions (Lisburn) Order ( Northern Ireland ) 2009;
- The Penalty Charges (Exemption from Criminal Proceedings) (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2009 ;
- The Cycle Routes (Amendment No. 2) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009 ;
- The Taxis (Ballymena) Bye-Laws ( Northern Ireland) 2009 ;
- The One-Way Traffic (Newtownabbey) (Amendment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009;
- The Frances Street, Newtownards (Footpath) (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009;
- The Bus Lane ( Glen Road, Belfast) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009;
- The Road Races ( North West 200) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009;
- The Road Races (Craigantlet Hill Climb) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009 ;
- The Road Races (Tandragee 100) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009;
- The Road Races (Circuit of Ireland International Rally) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009; and
- The Road Races (Croft Hill Climb) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009.
John Dallat left the meeting at 4.30 p.m .
Members also noted receipt of the following new SL1:
- The Off-Street Parking (Amendment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009.
Members noted that Armagh City & District Council was notified of this new SL1, and the matter was discussed at the Council’s Public Services Scrutiny Committee meeting on 5 January 2009. Members also noted that the Council wrote to Roads Service expressing its concerns regarding additional parking charges for Armagh City. In addition, Members noted that the Council sought discussion with Roads Service on the wider parking plan for the Armagh area, and details of Road Service’s response.
Members decided that they were content with the policy merits of the following SL1s, which were noted at the meeting of 18 February 2009:
- The Parking and Waiting Restrictions ( Belfast) (Amendment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009;
- The Bus Lane ( Shankill Road, Belfast) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009 ;
- The Prohibition of Waiting (Amendment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009;
- The Waiting Restrictions (Moira) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009;
- The Road Races (Drumhorc Hill Climb) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009;
- The Road Races (Cairncastle Hill Climb) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009;
- The Road Races (Spelga Pass Hill Climb) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009;
- The Road Races (Mid Antrim 150) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009; and
- The Parking and Waiting Restrictions ( Belfast) (Amendment No.2) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009.
Members decided that they were content with the following SL1, subject to the Department successfully resolving the objection from NIE, prior to making the statutory rule:
- The Route F1400 Beech Path Footpath, Lurgan (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009 .
Members noted receipt of the following statutory rules which are not subject to any Assembly procedure but are for Members’ information only:
- 2009/44 The Parking Places on Roads (Coaches) Amendment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009;
- 2009/49 The One-Way Traffic ( Belfast) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009; and
- 2009/57 The Roads (Speed Limit) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009.
Members noted receipt of the following statutory rules, which are subject to negative resolution:
- 2009/43 The Trunk Road T10 (Cherrymount Link, Enniskillen) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008;
- 2009/50 The Ballyhampton Road, Larne (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008;
- 2009/51 The Iveagh Street (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009; and
- 2009/55 The Thornhill Parade, Belfast (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009.
Members also noted that the Examiner of Statutory Rules will forward his report on these rule before the end of the relevant statutory period, which is 24 March 2009.
5. Correspondence.
Members noted receipt of correspondence, dated 17 February 2009, from the Department for Regional Development regarding the Newry Southern Relief Road, and decided to schedule briefing on the issue following Easter recess.
Members noted receipt of correspondence, dated 23 February 2009, from the Minister for Regional Development, Conor Murphy, MP, MLA, to Fred Cobain, Chairperson of the Regional Development Committee, regarding the difficulties facing the roads maintenance industry and the proposals from Mr Gordon Best, Regional Director of the Quarry Products Association for Northern Ireland (QPANI).
Members noted receipt of correspondence, dated 23 February 2009, from the Minister for Regional Development, Conor Murphy, MP, MLA, to Michelle O’Neill, MLA, deputy Chairperson of the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety, regarding its inquiry into obesity.
Members noted receipt of an invitation, dated 13 February 2009, from BMF Services regarding the second annual ‘Transport Ireland 2009: Transporting Ireland’s economy’ conference on Wednesday 8 April 2009, in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry, Dublin. Members noted that they should contact the Committee office should they wish to attend.
Members noted receipt of an invitation, dated 16 February 2009, from BMF Services regarding the Northern Ireland Housing Conference 2009 on Tuesday 24 March 2009, at the Stormont Hotel, Belfast. Members noted that they should contact the Committee office should they wish to attend.
Members noted receipt of an invitation, dated 10 February 2009, from Capita regarding the sixth National Conference on Tackling Alcohol Related Anti-Social Behaviour, to be held on Thursday 23 April 2009, London. Members noted that they should contact the Committee office should they wish to attend.
Members noted receipt of an invitation, dated 19 February 2009, from the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation regarding its seminar entitled ‘What should regulators do next to drive costs out of the energy sector’, to be held on Thursday 2 April 2009, from 2.30 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. in the Linenhall Library, Belfast. Members noted that they should contact the Committee office should they wish to attend.
Members noted receipt of a press release, dated 16 February 2009, from the Department of the Environment highlighting a marked improvement in the compliance levels for sewerage discharges in Northern Ireland.
Members noted receipt of correspondence, dated February 2009, from the Community Relations Council attaching a questionnaire regarding their monthly e-bulletin service.
6. Any other business.
Members noted receipt of a proposed handling plan for stakeholder engagement regarding the Draft River Basin Management Plan, and indicated they were content with the following points:
- That the proposed engagement event proceeds with an invitation to submit written evidence followed by an engagement event in the Long Gallery;
- With the proposed heads of questioning included at annex A to the paper;
- With the list of stakeholders proposed and included at annex B to the paper;
- With the format, date, timings and venue for the proposed stakeholder engagement event in the Long Gallery;
- That a report, highlighting the key points raised in the written and oral evidence received, be prepared for publication on the Assembly’s web pages, and be used to inform the Committee for the Environment and the Committee for Regional Development’s interim responses to the public consultation on the draft River Basin Management Plans; and
That the Committee for the Environment be notified of the Committee’s decisions.
Members noted receipt of an invitation from BMF, to attend a dinner which will be held in conjunction with the fourth Annual All Island Infrastructure Investment Conference. Members decided to return to consideration of the invitation at the next meeting.
Members agreed that the Chairperson would write to Wrightbus offering the Committee’s support and best wishes for the company and employees during the present period of economic hardship and uncertainty.
7. Date, Time and Place of next meeting.
The next meeting of the Regional Development Committee will take place on Wednesday 4 March 2009.
The Deputy Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.50 p.m.