COMMITTEE FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 03 MARCH 2010
ROOM 21, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Fred Cobain MLA (Chairperson)
Michelle McIlveen MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Allan Bresland MLA
Tommy Gallagher MLA
Danny Kinahan MLA
Raymond McCartney MLA
George Robinson MLA
Brian Wilson MLA
In Attendance: Roisin Kelly (Assembly Clerk)
Trevor Allen (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Andrew Larmour (Clerical Supervisor)
Alison Ferguson (Clerical Officer)
Apologies: Cathal Boylan MLA
Willie Clarke MLA
Ian McCrea MLA
The meeting commenced at 10.38am in open session.
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
Members noted papers which were tabled for consideration later in the meeting.
2. Draft Minutes of Meeting held on 24 February 2010
Agreed : The minutes were agreed for publication on the Assembly’s website.
3. Matters Arising
- Agreed: Members noted responses received from Northern Ireland Screen, North Down Borough Council, Omagh District Council and Antrim Borough Council to the Committee’s call for evidence on the Roads (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill and agreed to consider these responses during the Committee Stage of the Bill. Members also agreed to forward all responses received to the Department for Regional Development for consideration.
- Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development, dated 23 February 2010, in relation to an issue raised by a member of the public on the closure of the A34 Newtownbutler to Clones main road and agreed to forward the correspondence to the member of the public for information. Members also agreed to write to the Department on the issue of notification of planned road closures.
- Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure on the use of townland names and agreed to forward the correspondence to the Department for Regional Development for comment.
- Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Residents’ Association of Cherryvalley, Kensington and Shandon (RACKS) in relation to the A55 Outer Ring road widening scheme. Members also noted a press release from the Department for Regional Development on this issue. Members agreed to write to RACKS on this matter.
- Members noted correspondence from the Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation in relation to the Department of Finance and Personnel’s consultation on the Review of 2010-11 Spending Plans.
4. Public Transport Reform: Departmental briefing on the outcome of the public consultation and proposals for a draft Bill
The Committee received a briefing from Departmental officials, Doreen Brown and Sean Johnston , on the outcome of the Public Transport Reform public consultation and proposals for a draft Bill .
Agreed: The Committee agreed to consider a draft response to the Department on the public consultation at its meeting on 24 March 2010.
5. Departmental briefing on the proposed amendment to the Railway (Safety Management) Regulations 2006 and on the revised UK-wide Interoperability Regulations 2010
The Committee received a briefing from Departmental officials, Garry McKenna and Ciaran Crilly, on the proposed amendment to the Railway (Safety Management) Regulations 2006 and on the revised UK-wide Interoperability Regulations 2010 .
Agreed: T he Committee agreed that it is content that the proposed consultations proceed on both regulations.
6. Briefing from Roads Service on the Draft Road Safety Strategy for Northern Ireland 2010-2020
11.22am The meeting moved into closed session.
The Committee received a briefing from Roads Service officials, Greg McClelland and Bob Cairns, on the draft Road Safety Strategy for Northern Ireland 2010-2020.
11.50am The meeting returned to open session.
7. Draft Departmental Business Plan 2010-11
Agreed: Following on from the briefing on 24 February 2010 from Departmental officials, the Committee considered and agreed its response to the Department for Regional Development on its draft Departmental Business Plan 2010-11 and also agreed that the response be forwarded to the Department.
8. Subordinate Legislation
Members noted the following Departmental proposals to make subordinate legislation:
- The Road Races (Craigantlet Hill Climb) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010;
- The Road Races (Croft Hill Climb) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010;
- The Road Races (Spelga Hill Climb) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010; and
- The Bog Road Ballygowan (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010.
Members noted that the SL1 memos from the Department on the above proposals made no reference to their having been the subject of a public inquiry. Members noted that the Department has confirmed that the police service and relevant local councils affected by the above proposals have been informed, and the Committee office has not received any comments from the relevant councils regarding these policy proposals.
Members considered the following Departmental proposals to make subordinate legislation, which were noted at the Committee meeting on 24 February 2010:
- The Road Races (Benbradagh Hill Climb) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010;
- The Road Races (Circuit of Ireland International Rally) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010;
- The Road Races (Eagles Rock Hill Climb) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010; and
- The Road Races (Mid-Antrim 150) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010.
Agreed: Members agreed that the Committee would write to the Department, indicating that it was content with the policy merits of these SL1s. Members also agreed to write to the Department indicating that the Committee agreed that its acceptance of The Road Races (Mid-Antrim 150) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010 is subject to the satisfactory resolution of the concerns of the police service at the scheduled meeting with the promoter.
Members noted receipt of the following statutory rules:
- 2010/35 The Dill Road, Castlereagh (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010; and
- 2010/39 The Footpath to rear of Ballyronan Park, Rathcoole, Newtownabbey (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010.
Members noted the Eleventh Report to the Assembly for 2009/10 from the Examiner of Statutory Rules , making no comment on The Dill Road, Castlereagh (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2010. Members also noted that the Examiner will report on The Footpath to rear of Ballyronan Park, Rathcoole, Newtownabbey (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2010 in his Twelfth Report to the Assembly, to be published on 12 March 2010 .
Members considered the following statutory rule which was laid in the Assembly’s Business Office by the Department for Regional Development and is subject to the negative resolution procedure. Members noted that the Examiner of Statutory Rules, in the Eleventh Report to the Assembly for 2009/10, made no comment on the rule.
- SR 2010/25 The Airports ( Sale of Aircraft) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010.
In the absence of any objection, the following question was put and agreed:
‘That the Committee for Regional Development has considered SR 2010/25 The Airports ( Sale of Aircraft) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010 and has no objection to the rule.’
All those in favour: Alan Bresland, Fred Cobain, Tommy Gallagher, Danny Kinahan, Raymond McCartney, Michelle McIlveen, George Robinson and Brian Wilson.
Those against: None.
All Members present voted. No Members present abstained.
Members decided that the Committee Clerk would inform the Business Office of the decision made today.
9. Correspondence
Members noted correspondence from t he Consumer Council on the Volunteer Car Scheme provided by North Antrim Community Car Scheme.
Members noted a newsletter from Northern Ireland Environment Link on “Policy Priorities for Northern Ireland’s Environment”.
Agreed: Members noted an invitation from BMF Business Services to the Transport Ireland 2010 conference at Croke Park Conference Centre, Dublin on 29 April 2010 and agreed to defer consideration of this invitation to the meeting on 10 March 2010.
10. Any Other Business
Agreed: Members considered a revised forward work programme for the Committee and agreed that the revised work programme should be published on the Assembly website.
Members again noted that the Committee’s Sustainable Transport Inquiry event has been scheduled for 18 March 2010.
Agreed: Members agreed that the Committee should have a presence at the 2010 Balmoral Show on Wednesday 12 May 2010 and that the Committee office takes forward arrangements for the event.
11. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 10 March 2010 at 10.30 am in Room 21, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 11.58am.