Northern Ireland Assembly Flax Flower Logo

COMMITTEE FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 24 JUNE 2009
ROOM 21, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
Fred Cobain, MLA (Chairperson).
Willie Clarke, MLA.
John Dallat, MLA.
Danny Kinahan, MLA.
Raymond McCartney, MLA.
Brian Wilson, MLA.

In Attendance:
Roisin Kelly (Assembly Clerk).
Emma Patton (Assistant Assembly Clerk).
Andrew Larmour (Clerical Supervisor).
Alison Ferguson (Clerical Officer).

Apologies:
Cathal Boylan , MLA.
Allan Bresland, MLA.
George Robinson, MLA.
Alastair Ross, MLA.
Jim Wells, MLA.

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

1. Tabled papers.

Members noted the tabled papers.

2. Apologies.

Apologies were received from Cathal Boylan , MLA, Allan Bresland, MLA, George Robinson, MLA, Alastair Ross, MLA and Jim Wells, MLA.

3. Chairperson’s Business

The Committee noted a change of membership. Members welcomed Danny Kinehan to the Committee and noted his Declaration of Interests. Members decided to write to John McCallister to thank him for his service and contribution to the Committee.

4. The minutes of the meeting held on 17 June 2009.

The minutes of the meeting held on 17 June 2009 were agreed.

5. Matters Arising.

Members noted correspondence from the Department and a briefing from the Committee researcher in relation to The Water Supply (Water Quality) Amendment Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2009. Members decided they were contentwith the policy merits of the proposed legislation.

Members noted receipt of a copy of a letter from Carson McDowell in relation to the application by George Best Belfast City Airport Limited to extend the existing runway. Members decided to return to this issued at the meeting of 1 July 2009. Members decided to write to Carson McDowell Solicitors to invite them to attend to present to Committee at a date to be arranged in September 2009.

Members noted receipt of a letter, dated 11 June 2009, from Northern Ireland Water, detailing the timetable against which they wish to publish their annual report and accounts. Members decided to invite representatives of Northern Ireland Water to present at the meeting of 9 September 2009.

Members noted receipt of the OFMdFM Committee’s: Children and Young People’s Action Plan.Members decided to forward any views or comments on the action plan to the Committee office by close of play on Monday 29 June 2009.

6. Subordinate legislation

Members noted the following new SL1s:

Members decided that they were content with the policy merits of the SL1s listed below, which were noted at the meetings of 27 May and 17 June 2009 respectively:

Members decided they were content with the policy merits of the SL1s listed below, which were noted at the meeting of 17 June 2009:

Members noted additional information in relation to the SL1 for the Larchwood Avenue, Banbridge (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009. Members decided they were content with the policy merits of the proposed legislation.

Members noted that t he Seventeenth Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules to the Assembly and the Appropriate Committees, 2008/09 session, was published on 12 June 2009. In the absence of any objections, the following questions were put and agreed:

‘That the Committee for Regional Development has considered 2009/217 The Glen Road , Londonderry (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009 , and has no objection to the rule’.

Those in favour: Willie Clarke, Fred Cobain, John Dallat, Danny Kinahan, Raymond McCartney and Brain Wilson.

Those against: None.

‘That the Committee for Regional Development has considered 2009/218 The Frances Street , Newtownards (Footway) (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009, and has no objection to this rule’.

Those in favour: Willie Clarke, Fred Cobain, John Dallat, Danny Kinahan, Raymond McCartney and Brain Wilson.

Those against: None.

‘ That the Committee for Regional Development has considered 2009/219 The Newforge Road , Magheralin (Footway) (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009, and has no objection to this rule’.

Those in favour: Willie Clarke, Fred Cobain, John Dallat, Danny Kinahan, Raymond McCartney and Brain Wilson.

Those against: None.

7. Correspondence.

Members noted receipt of a letter, dated 19 June 2009, from the Head of Communications, Northern Ireland Water, Pat McParland. Members decided to avail of Northern Ireland Water’s offer of a briefing to the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson.

Members noted receipt of a letter from, dated 18 June 2009, from the Minister for Regional Development, Conor Murphy in relation to the Draft Rathlin Island Policy.  

Members noted a memo, dated 16 June 2009, from Alex McGarel, Clerk to the Committee for the Environment, on the proposals for the extension of designated Shellfish Waters, and the reply from the Department for Regional Development. Member decided forward the Department’s response to the Clerk to the Committee for the Environment.

Members noted receipt of a newsletter entitled ‘Direct Links Transport – New Community Transport Business in Belfast’.

Members noted receipt of the Warrenpoint Harbour Authority Annual Report for 2008 – 2009.

8. Any Other Business.

Members agreed the wording of the public notice and timeline for the Committee’s forthcoming inquiry into sustainable transport.

Members decided to continue in its practice of delegating authority to the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson during periods of recess in relation to Freedom of Information requests.

9. Audio-visual systems on buses: progress on pilot schemes: The Omnibus

Partnership and the Department for Regional Development .

David McDonald, June Best and John Carberry, representatives from the Omnibus Partnership, joined the meeting at 11.10a.m.

Members received briefing from the representatives of the Omnibus Partnership. Following a question and answer session, Members thanked the representatives for their briefing.

Members noted the briefing provided by the witnesses.

Members decided to write to the Department, stating the Committee’s view that the time taken to develop a business case for the pilot scheme has been unacceptably long, and supporting the allocation of funding to the pilot scheme.

The witnesses left the meeting at 11.45a.m.

Departmental official, Trevor Robinson, joined the meeting at 11.45a.m.

Members received briefing from the official. Following a question and answer session, Members thanked the official for his briefing.

Members noted the briefing provided by the Department.

The meeting was suspended at 12.02p.m.

The meeting reconvened at 12.06p.m, with Fred Cobain, (Chairperson) , John Dallat, Danny Kinahan and Raymond McCartney present.

The Clerk to the Committee advised Members that the Committee had lost quorum.

10. Dismissal of twenty five traffic attendants employed by NLC Service Group : NIPSA.

Kieran Bannon, Chris Quinn and Sam Boyd, representatives of the dismissed traffic attendants, joined the meeting at 12.07p.m.

Members received briefing from the witnesses. Following a question and answer session, the Chairperson thanked the witnesses for their briefing.

The representatives left the meeting at 12.30p.m.

11. A6 Dungiven Bypass: Preferred Route.

John White, Jim Beattie and Uel Wilson, Departmental officials, joined the meeting at 12.30p.m.

Members received briefing from the officials. Following a question and answer session, the Chairperson thanked the officials for their briefing

The officials left the meeting at 12.30p.m.

12. Rapid Transit for Belfast: Progress update and next steps.

Ciarán de Búrca and Lindsay Rainey, Departmental officials, joined the meeting at 12.45p.m.

Members received briefing from the officials. Following a question and answer session, Chairperson thanked the officials for their briefing

The officials left the meeting at 1.03p.m.

13. Date, Time and Place of next meeting.

The next meeting of the Regional Development Committee will take place in Room 21, Parliament Building on Wednesday 1 July 2009 at 10.30a.m., and is scheduled to conclude at 3.30p.m.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1.35 p.m.

Signed: ……………………………………………

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

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