Northern Ireland Assembly Flax Flower Logo

COMMITTEE FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 27 MAY 2009
ROOM 21, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present: Fred Cobain, MLA (Chairperson).
Cathal Boylan, MLA.
Willie Clarke, MLA.
John Dallat, 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).
Kiera McDonald (Assistant Legal Advisor).
Andrew Larmour (Clerical Supervisor).
Annette Page (Clerical Officer).

Apologies:

Members decided to commence the meeting at 10.33 a.m. in open session.

  1. Apologies.

    2. Apologies were received from Allan Bresland, MLA and George Robinson, MLA.

  2. Chairperson’s Business

    3. Members decided to request oral briefing from the Department and from the Omnibus Partnership on the plans for and progress on the piloting of audio visual information systems on buses in Northern Ireland.

  3. The minutes of the meeting held on 20 May 2009.

    4. The minutes of the meeting held on 20 May 2009 were agreed.

  4. Matters Arising.

    5. Members noted receipt of correspondence from the Department, dated 18 May 2009, clarifying the recognition and acceptability of Disabled Badges for Vehicle Users from outside Northern Ireland.

    Alastair Ross joined the meeting at 10.37 a.m.

    Members noted receipt of a report from Northern Ireland Water into the Dunore Coliforms incident on 13 April 2009. Members decided to write to Northern Ireland Water requesting to be kept informed of the progress on the unresolved issues outlined in the report and on the implementation of lessons learnt.

    John McCallister joined the meeting at 10.40 a.m.

    Members noted receipt of correspondence, dated 18 May 2009, from Denis Hegarty, Chairman of the Dungiven Bypass Committee. Members decided to write to Mr Hegarty to inform him that the Committee will return to consider the issue which he raised at the meeting to be held on 24 June 2009. Members also decided to write to the Department asking officials to address the issues raised by Mr Hegarty in their scheduled briefing on the scheme at the meeting to be held on 24 June 2009.

    Members noted receipt of written briefing from the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister on the current and proposed legislative and other arrangements in place for flood management in Northern Ireland. Members decided to schedule consideration of a way forward on this matter at the meeting to be held on 17 June 2009.

    Members noted receipt of an official report of the Committee for Finance and Personnel’s evidence session with the Department of Finance and Personnel, dated 11 March 2009, on the subject of the Varney II report and strategic economic issues.

    Brian Wilson joined the meeting at 10.41 a.m.

    Members decided to move to closed session at 10.41 a.m.

    Members noted receipt of advice on aspects of the Committee’s inquiry into managing data risks in Northern Ireland Water. Members decided to proceed with the remaining planned evidence in open session.

    Cathal Boylan joined the meeting at 10.45 a.m.

    Members decided to move to open session at 10.48 a.m. with Fred Cobain, Cathal Boylan, Willie Clarke, John Dallat, John McCallister, Raymond McCartney, Alastair Ross, Jim Wells and Brian Wilson present.

  5. Water Supply (Water Quality) (Amendment) Regulations 2009

    6. Departmental officials Eilis Ferguson, John Mills and Stuart Wightman joined the meeting at 10.49 a.m.

    John Dallat left the meeting at 10.59 a.m.

    Members received briefing from Departmental officials on the Water Supply (Water Quality) (Amendment) Regulations 2009.

    Following a question and answer session, Members thanked the Departmental officials for their briefing.

    Members noted the briefing provided by the Department.

    Departmental officials Eilis Ferguson, John Mills and Stuart Wightman left the meeting at 11.01 a.m.

    Members decided to submit written questions on this policy proposal to the Department. Members also decided to commission research on the European Environmental Crime Directive, and to return to consider this matter at a meeting later in the session.

  6. Proposed Abandonment of Road and Footway adjacent to 14 Larchwood Avenue, Banbridge.

    7. Departmental officials Roy Sherman and Reynold Nicholson joined the meeting at 11.03 a.m.

    Members received briefing from the Departmental officials on the proposed abandonment of road and footway adjacent to 14 Larchwood Avenue, Banbridge.

    Following a question and answer session, Members thanked the Departmental officials for their briefing.

    Members noted the briefing provided by the Department.

    Departmental officials Roy Sherman and Reynold Nicholson left the meeting at 11.20 a.m.

    Members decided to request briefing from the Department on the criteria for and any legal constraints regarding abandonment early in the new session. Members also decided to request further information from the Department on the objections raised by members of the public on the issue of proposed abandonment of road and footway adjacent to 14 Larchwood Avenue, Banbridge.

  7. DRD’s June Monitoring return: Committee consideration.

    8. Members noted correspondence from the Department regarding the Department’s June monitoring round return. Members decided that a Member from each political party will meet on Monday 1 June 2009 and clear a Committee response to the Department’s June Monitoring return.

  8. Draft River Basin Management Plans: consideration of a draft report on the stakeholder engagement event.

    9. Members noted receipt of a draft key issues report of the stakeholder engagement event on the draft River Basin Management Plans on 1 April 2009. Members decided to request briefing from the Department on the progress of the public consultation at its meeting of 17 June 2009. Members also decided to request a two week extension to the deadline for responses from the Department of the Environment.

  9. Subordinate legislation

Members noted receipt of the following new SL1s:

Members decided they were content with the following SL1s which they noted at the meeting of 20 May 2009:

Members noted receipt of the following statutory rules which are not subject to any Assembly procedure, but are for Members’ information only:

Members noted receipt of the following statutory rules which are subject to negative resolution by the Assembly:

Members noted that the Examiner of Statutory Rules will forward his report before the end of the statutory period for these rules.

Members noted that the Sixteenth Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules to the Assembly and the Appropriate Committees, 2008/09 session, was published on 20 May 2009. Members also noted that the following statutory rules, subject to negative resolution, were included in the Examiner’s report:

In the absence of any objections, the following questions were put and agreed:

‘That the Committee for Regional Development has considered the 2009/180 Henry Street, Belfast (Stopping-Up) Order (Northern Ireland) 2009 and has no objection to the rule.’

All those in favour: Fred Cobain, Cathal Boylan, Willie Clarke, John McCallister, Raymond McCartney, Alastair Ross, Jim Wells and Brian Wilson present.

All those against: none

‘That the Committee for Regional Development has considered the 2009/190 Ridgeway Street, Belfast (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2009 and has no objection to the rule.’

All those in favour: Fred Cobain, Cathal Boylan, Willie Clarke, John McCallister, Raymond McCartney, Alastair Ross, Jim Wells and Brian Wilson present.

All those against: none

Members noted receipt of the Railways Infrastructure (Access, Management and Licensing of Railway Undertakings) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009. Following consideration of the Department’s request to note and consider the policy merits of the SL1 at the meeting of 27 May 2009, Members noted receipt of the SL1 for the Railways Infrastructure (Access, Management and Licensing of Railway Undertakings) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009, and decided they were content with its policy merits.

  1. Correspondence

Members noted receipt of a letter, dated 20 May 2009, from the Minster for Regional Development in response to the Committee’s correspondence providing comment on the draft Social and Environmental Guidance for Water and Sewerage Services.

Members noted receipt of a memo, dated 22 May 2009, from the Clerk to the Social Development Committee attaching correspondence from the Guide Dog for the Blind Association, Imtac and the Regional Access Committee regarding shared surface schemes. Members decided to forward this information to the Department for update and comment.

Members noted receipt of a letter, dated 20 May 2009, from the Committee for the Environment thanking the Committee for its submission to the Inquiry on Climate Change.

Members noted receipt of a letter, dated 21 May 2009, from Owen McQuade, Director of BMF Services, thanking John McCallister, MLA for delivering the Committee’s contribution at the Water Forum on 20 May 2009 at the Stormont Hotel.

Members noted receipt of a letter, dated 22 May 2009, from the Department thanking the Committee for its letter regarding the Magilligan to Greencastle Ferry Service.

Members noted receipt of a press release, dated 20 May 2009, from the Department entitled ‘Roads Service to invest £7.5 million in Newry and Mourne Area’.

Members noted receipt of a press release, dated 22 May 2009, from Department entitled Minister announces contract for A26 Ballee road east to Ballymena bypass’.

Members noted receipt of an invitation, dated 18 May 2009, from the Divisional Roads Manager of Roads Service, to the official opening ceremony to mark the opening of the M2 Improvement Scheme on Tuesday 9 June 2009. Members decided that the Chairperson and deputy Chairperson should attend this event.

Members noted receipt of a memo, dated 19 May 2009, from the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure attaching an invitation to a seminar on Townlands Names. Members decided to forward this invitation to the relevant official in the Department.

Members noted receipt of an invitation from James Dillon of the Sustainable Development Commission to an event in the Long Gallery, on Wednesday 10 June 2009, on sustainable development. Jim Wells agreed to attend this event on behalf of the Committee.

Members noted receipt of an invitation to a conference entitled ‘Transport Technology and Climate Change: Building a better Scotland’, on 29 June 2009, at the Royal Glasgow Concert Hall. Members decided that a representative of the Committee should attend this conference.

Members noted receipt of an invitation to a conference entitled ‘Access 09 – Accessible Community Transport Solutions’ on 18 and 19 June 2009 at the Armagh City Hotel.

Members noted receipt of an invitation to a conference entitled ‘Steering young people away from crime’ on 24 June 2009 in Central London.

Members noted receipt of the following press releases, tabled at the meeting:

  1. Any Other Business

    2. Members decided to hold a research event on the subject of accessibility and transport on Friday 26 June 2009.

    Members noted receipt of a letter from Committee Member, John Dallat, MLA regarding the Rathlin Island Ferry Service. Members decided to forward this letter to the Department.

    Members noted that Annette Page, Clerical Officer was leaving the Assembly and thanked her for her work on behalf of the Committee for Regional Development, and wished her well in her future career.

  2. Date, Time and Place of next meeting.

Members decided that the next meeting of the Regional Development Committee will take place on Wednesday 17 June 2009, at 10.30 a.m. in Room 21, Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 11.51 a.m.

Signed: ……………………………………………

FRED COBAIN, MLA.
Chairperson, Committee for Regional Development.

20 May 09 / Menu