COMMITTEE FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 22 APRIL 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)
Andrew Larmour (Clerical Supervisor)
Annette Page (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
John Dallat, MLA
Members decided to commence the meeting at 10.40 a.m. in open session.
1. Apologies
Apologies were received from:
John Dallat , MLA.
2. The minutes of the meeting held on 1 April 2009
The minutes of the meeting held on 1 April 2009 were agreed.
3. Matters Arising
Members noted receipt of a letter, dated 1 April 2009, from the Minister for Regional Development regarding the Rathlin Island Draft Policy. Members decided to request briefing from the Department on this matter at the end of the public consultation period.
Members noted receipt of a memo, dated 31 March 2009, from the Clerk to the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development outlining that Committee’s comments on the proposed Department for Agriculture and Rural Development and Department for Regional Development joint rural transport package.
Members noted receipt of a letter, dated 31 March 2009, from the Department regarding land identified for abandonment and disposal by the Department, and a proposal to update the Committee on the Dungiven Bypass, the Newry Southern Relief Road, the A5 and A8 schemes as significant milestones occur, rather than on a quarterly basis. Members decided to agree to the Department’s proposal and to request written briefing in advance of key decisions made on these projects.
Members noted receipt of a letter, dated 31 March 2009, from the Department regarding the proposals for the making of the statutory rule entitled ‘Railways Infrastructure (Access, Management and Licensing of Railway Undertakings) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009’. Members were content with the Department’s consultation proposals.
Members noted receipt of a letter, dated 31 March 2009, from the Department regarding the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly Committee report into ‘Renewable Energy except Nuclear’.
Members noted receipt of the Public Accounts Committee report on ‘Road Openings by Utilities’.
Members noted receipt of a letter, dated 7 April 2009, from the Department regarding its draft corporate and business plan. Members also noted that, at the meeting of 11 March 2009, they requested a copy of a presentation identified during discussion with Departmental officials on this issue, and that this presentation was not produced by the Department, but by the Quarry Products Association. Members decided to request a copy of the presentation from the Quarry Products Association.
Members noted the Committee response to the Department on the Roads (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill and cleared this response paragraph by paragraph. Members decided to submit this cleared response to the Department and to publish it on the Committee’s website.
Members noted that the Department has indicated that the Accessible Transport Strategy Draft Action Plan document has now been published for consultation. Members decided to request written briefing from the Department at the close of the consultation period in July 2009. Members also decided to request oral briefing from the Department on this matter in September 2009, following completion of the Department’s analysis of the consultation responses.
Members noted the forward work programme for the Committee for Regional Development, tabled at the meeting of 22 April 2009. Membersdecided to defer consideration of a Committee visit to Scotland in June 2009 until the meeting of 29 April 2009. With this change, Members decided to publish the work programme on the Committee’s website.
4. Rail service on the Larne line: briefing from the Department and Translink
Departmental officials Brian White and Gary McKenna and Translink executives Philip O’Neill and Richard Knox joined the meeting at 11.00 a.m.
Members received briefing from Departmental officials and Translink executives on railway safety and the Larne line.
Cathal Boylan left the meeting at 11.10 a.m.
Cathal Boylan re-joined the meeting at 11.24 a.m.
Following a question and answer session, Members thanked the Departmental officials and Translink executives for their briefing.
Departmental officials Brian White and Gary McKenna and Translink executives Philip O’Neill and Richard Knox left the meeting at 11.30 a.m.
Members noted the briefing provided by the Department and Translink.
John McCallister joined the meeting at 11.30 a.m.
The Chairperson suspended the meeting at 11.30 a.m.
The Chairperson resumed the meeting at 11.33 a.m.
Members decided to reschedule the Consumer Council briefing until the meeting of 29 April 2009 in order to allow adequate time for discussion.
5. Consideration of PC10 Ministerial social and environmental guidance
Departmental official Stuart Wightman, Northern Ireland Water executive Paddy Brow and Northern Ireland Authority executives Jo Aston and Iain Osborne joined the meeting at 11.34 a.m.
Members received briefings from the Department, Northern Ireland Water and Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation executives on an overview of the PC10 process.
Following a question and answer session, Members thanked the Department, Northern Ireland Water, and Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation executives for their briefings.
Departmental official Stuart Wightman, Northern Ireland Water executive Paddy Brow and Northern Ireland Authority executives Jo Aston and Iain Osborne left the meeting at 12.17 p.m.
Members noted the written briefings provided by the Department, Northern Ireland Water and the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation.
Departmental official Stuart Wightman, Drinking Water Inspectorate official Margaret Herron, Northern Ireland Water executive George Butler and Northern Ireland Environment Agency official Tom Adamson joined the meeting at 12.20 p.m.
Members received briefings from representatives from the Department, the Drinking Water Inspectorate, Northern Ireland Water, and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency on the environmental obligations informing PC10.
Brian Wilson left the meeting at 12.30 p.m.
Following a question and answer session, Members thanked the Department, the Drinking Water Inspectorate, Northern Ireland Water, and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency for their briefings.
Departmental official Stuart Wightman, Drinking Water Inspectorate official Margaret Herron, Northern Ireland Water executive George Butler and Northern Ireland Environmenl Agency official Tom Adamson left the meeting at 12.44 a.m.
Members noted the briefings provided by the Department, the Drinking Water Inspectorate, Northern Ireland Water and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency.
6. Subordinate Legislation
Members noted receipt of the following new SL1:
- The Derriaghy Road, Lisburn (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2009.
Members noted that with regard to the above SL1, an objection was received by NIE, which has plant in the area.
Members noted receipt of the following statutory rules, which are not subject to any Assembly procedure:
- 2009/155 The Road Races (Cookstown 100) Order (Northern Ireland) 2009;
- 2009/148 The Loading Bays on Roads (Amendment No. 2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2009;
- 2009/136 The Road Races (Bus, Dungannon) Order (Northern Ireland) 2009;
- 2009/125 The Road Races (Spelga Hill Climb) Order (Northern Ireland) 2009;
- 2009/124 The Road Races (Craigantlet Hill Climb) Order (Northern Ireland) 2009;
- 2009/131 The Road Races (Mid-Antrim 150) Order (Northern Ireland) 2009;
- 2009/117 The Road Races (Circuit of Ireland International Rally) Order (Northern Ireland) 2009; and
- 2009/156 The Road Races (Garron Point Hill Climb) Order (Northern Ireland) 2009.
7. Correspondence
Members noted receipt of a letter, dated 6 April 2009, from a member of the public, Margaret Glass regarding the Comber Greenway. Members decided to forward this letter to the Department and to respond to Mrs Glass informing her of the Committee’s actions and the Department’s willingness to engage with stakeholders as the project develops.
Members noted receipt of an email, dated 16 April 2009, from Tom McCelland, Chairperson of the Northern Ireland Cycling Forum regarding the Committee’s planned inquiry into sustainable transport. Members decided to respond to Mr McClelland, informing him of the proposed start date and format of the planned inquiry.
Members noted receipt of a letter, dated 7 April 2009, from the Business Office regarding guidance on Port Master Plans.
Members noted receipt of a memo, dated 3 April 2009, from the Clerk to the Environment Committee regarding a briefing by the BT Sustainability Officer. Members decided to action the Environment Committee’s request and to forward the memo to the Department for comment.
Members noted receipt of a memo, dated 3 April 2009, from the Clerk to the Audit Committee attaching a letter from the Chairperson of the Audit Committee regarding International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Members decided to request briefing from the Department on its work to date and preparations for IFRS.
Members noted receipt of a letter, dated 1 April 2009, from the University of Ulster regarding a Real Estate research report entitled ‘The Global Financial Crisis: Impact on Property Markets in the UK and Ireland’.
Members noted receipt of correspondence from Ian Jeffers, Director of the Prince’s Trust attaching a report illustrating a day in the life of The Trust across the UK.
Members noted receipt of correspondence, dated 30 March 2009, from the British Medical Association regarding obesity. Members decided to request information from the Department on its actions in this area.
Members noted receipt of correspondence, dated 6 April 2009, from Northern Ireland Water regarding non-domestic customer charges in 2009/2010. Members also noted that, following the meeting, the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson were scheduled to meet with representatives of Northern Ireland Water on this issue, and that all Members were welcome to attend.
Members noted receipt of correspondence, dated 6 April 2009, from the Department attaching a press release regarding the reappointments to the board of Northern Ireland Water.
Members noted receipt of a letter, dated 20 April 2009, from the Department regarding the completion of the M2 Improvement Scheme.
Members noted receipt of a press release, dated 31 March 2009, from the Department entitled ‘Minister launches consultation on Port Master Planning’.
Members noted receipt of a press release, dated 14 April 2009, from Northern Ireland Water entitled ‘Water supplies confirmed as safe to drink’. Members decided to request written briefing from Northern Ireland Water on the timings of the announcements made to the public on this matter.
Members noted receipt of a press release, dated 20 April 2009, from the Department of the Environment entitled ‘Minister paves way for recycled asphalt’.
Members noted receipt of an invitation to a seminar entitled ‘Maintaining excellence in local government through the economic downturn’ on Monday 1 June 2009. Members noted that they should contact the Committee office if they wished to attend this seminar.
Members noted receipt of an invitation to attend the official opening of Cookstown Waste Water Treatment Works on 23 April 2009. Members noted that they should contact Northern Ireland Water if they wished to attend this event.
Members noted receipt of the Equality Focus Newsletter for March 2009.
8. Date, Time and Place of next meeting
Members decided that the next meeting of the Regional Development Committee will take place on Wednesday 29 April 2009 at 10.30 a.m. in room 21, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.50 p.m.