Northern Ireland Assembly Flax Flower Logo

COMMITTEE FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
WEDNESDAY 21 APRIL 2010
ROOM 21, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present: Michelle McIlveen MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Cathal Boylan MLA
Allan Bresland MLA
Tommy Gallagher MLA
Billy Leonard MLA
Trevor Lunn MLA
George Robinson MLA

In Attendance: Roisin Kelly (Assembly Clerk)
Trevor Allen (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Andrew Larmour (Clerical Supervisor)
Alison Ferguson (Clerical Officer)

Apologies: Fred Cobain MLA (Chairperson)
Willie Clarke MLA
Danny Kinahan MLA
Ian McCrea MLA

The meeting commenced at 10.40am 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 14 April 2010

Agreed: The minutes were agreed for publication on the Assembly’s website.

4. Departmental briefing on the review of financial assistance for properties not served by mains water

The Committee received a briefing from Departmental officials Andrew Grieve, Joanne Adair and Eilis Ferguson on the Department’s review of financial assistance for properties not served by mains water .

Agreed: Members agreed to write to the Department for Regional Development on the issues raised during the briefing to the Committee, and to receive briefing at the next stage of the policy development process.

5. Departmental briefing on Water Resource Management Plans

The Committee received a briefing from Departmental officials Stuart Wightman, David Lynch and Kieran Coghlan, and from Len Jackson of Northern Ireland Water on the Department’s guidance to Northern Ireland Water on NIW’s Water Resource Management Plans .

Agreed: Members agreed to write to the Department for Regional Development requesting briefing on the outcome of the public consultation on the Water Resource Management Plans.

11.58am The meeting moved into closed session.

6. Roads (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill: Further consideration of the clauses of the Bill

Agreed: The Committee considered further the evidence received on the Roads (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill relevant to the clauses and schedules of the Bill and agreed to consider the first draft of the Bill Report at the Committee meeting on 10 May 2010 and to begin formal clause by clause scrutiny of the Bill at the Committee meeting on 19 May 2010.

Agreed: The Committee also agreed to write to the Department for Regional Development seeking confirmation on a number of issues raised.

12.10pm Mr Gallagher left the meeting.

12.16pm The meeting returned to open session.

7. Equality Unit Quarterly Report

Agreed: Members noted the Department for Regional Development’s Equality Unit’s Quarterly Report for the period 1 January to 31 March 2010 and agreed to write to the Department indicating that the Committee did not have any comment to make.

8. Subordinate Legislation

12.20pm Mr Gallagher returned to the meeting.

Members noted the following Departmental proposals to make subordinate legislation:

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 14 April 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 noted receipt of the following statutory rules:

Members noted that the Examiner of Statutory Rules will report on these rules in his Fourteenth Report to the Assembly, to be published on 26 April 2010 .

Members considered the following statutory rules which were laid in the Assembly’s Business Office by the Department for Regional Development and are subject to the negative resolution procedure. Members noted that the Examiner of Statutory Rules will report on these rules in his Fourteenth Report to the Assembly, to be published on 26 April 2010.

In the absence of any objection, the following question was put and agreed:

“The Committee for Regional Development has considered Statutory 2010/95 The Cascum Road, Banbridge (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2010, and, subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rules’ report, has no objection to the rule?”

All those in favour: Cathal Boylan, Allan Bresland, Tommy Gallagher, Billy Leonard, Trevor Lunn , Michelle McIlveen and George Robinson.

Those against: None.

All Members present voted. No Members present abstained.

In the absence of any objection, the following question was put and agreed:

“The Committee for Regional Development has considered Statutory 2010/128 The Water Supply (Water Quality) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 and, subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rules’ report, has no objection to the rule?”

All those in favour: Cathal Boylan, Allan Bresland, Tommy Gallagher, Billy Leonard, Trevor Lunn , Michelle McIlveen and George Robinson.

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

Agreed: The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment on the Independent Review of Economic Policy (IREP) Implementation Plan and agreed to request a written Departmental briefing paper on how the Department proposes to discharge its responsibilities as outlined in the implementation plan and requesting regular updates on progress on the actions relevant on the Department.

Agreed: The Committee noted correspondence in relation to the procurement of the Rathlin Island Ferry and agreed to forward the correspondence to Public Accounts Committee for comment.

Agreed: The Committee noted correspondence from the Culture, Arts and Leisure Committee on the availability of land for bridleways and agreed to forward the correspondence to the Department for comment.

Members noted a news release from Translink announcing its latest independent bus and rail performance monitoring results.

Members noted the Consumer Council’s complaints report – “Complain, Campaign and Gain: Championing Consumers 2006 – 2009”.

The Committee noted NIIRTA’s report on its Programme for Prosperity – “NIIRTA’s Economic Programme for Government”.

The Committee noted a publication from the Forum of European National Highway Research Laboratories (FEHRL) entitled “Forever Open Road, Refining highway transport for the 21st century”, and agreed to consider it as part of its Sustainable Transport Inquiry.

Members noted a press release on the Minister for Regional Development’s appointment of a member to the board of Warrenpoint Harbour Authority.

Members noted correspondence from the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister regarding European Issues.

Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Finance and Personnel Committee in relation to the use, by Departments, of DFP’s Performance and Efficiency Delivery Unit (PEDU) and agreed to forward the correspondence to the Department for comment.

Members noted correspondence from Northern Ireland Water in relation to the rationalisation of its office accommodation in Belfast .

Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development in relation to the public consultation on the proposed Roads (Functions of District Councils) Bill and agreed to write to the Department request briefing on the outcome of the consultation.

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 noted arrangements for the Committee’s attendance at the Balmoral Show on 12 May 2010.

Members noted arrangements for the Committee’s visit to the Belfast Street Ahead project on 20 May 2010.

Agreed: Members agreed that the Committee meeting of 28 April 2010 be rescheduled to Monday 26 April 2010 at 11.00am in Room 21, Parliament Buildings; that the meeting of 5 May 2010 be rescheduled to Monday 10 May 2010; and that, instead of a meeting in Parliament Buildings on 12 May 2010, the Committee would hold an engagement event from 10.00am to 2.00pm in the Assembly marquee at the Balmoral Show. The theme of this event is rural transport.

Agreed: The Committee considered and approved the draft reports of its visits to road resurfacing sites at Maguiresbridge, Co. Fermanagh, on 2 December 2009 and Kilroot Salt Mines on 17 February 2010. The Committee agreed that the reports be published on the Assembly website.

11. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 26 April 2010 at 11.00 am in Room 21, Parliament Buildings.

The Deputy Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.30pm.

Signed: ……………………………………………

Michelle McIlveen, MLA

Deputy Chairperson, Committee for Regional Development

26 April 2010