COMMITTEE FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
MONDAY 21 MARCH 2011
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Fred Cobain MLA (Chairperson)
Michelle McIlveen MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Billy Armstrong MLA
Cathal Boylan MLA
Allan Bresland MLA
Anna Lo MLA
Fra McCann MLA
Ian McCrea MLA
Conall McDevitt MLA
George Robinson MLA
In Attendance:
Roisin Kelly (Assembly Clerk)
Trevor Allen (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Andrew Larmour (Clerical Supervisor)
Alison Ferguson (Clerical Officer)
Apologies: Billy Leonard MLA
The meeting commenced at 11.35am in open session.
Members noted papers which were tabled for consideration later in the meeting.
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Draft Minutes of meetings held on 16 March 2011
Agreed: The minutes were agreed for publication on the Assembly’s website.
3. Matters Arising
- Members noted correspondence from NILGA providing clarification on issues raised during its briefing to the Committee on the gritting of footpaths.
- Members noted correspondence from the Consumer Council Northern Ireland providing clarification on issues raised during its briefing to the Committee on the “left high and dry” report.
- Members noted correspondence from the Consumer Council Northern Ireland providing its position concerning Air Passenger Duty for flights departing from Northern Ireland airports. This information was provided as a result of issues raised during the Committee’s Key Issues and Future Challenges event.
- Agreed: The Committee noted comments from the Deputy Chairperson in relation to the proposed sale of the Portavo and Lough Cowey Reservoirs and agreed to write to the Department requesting an update on the status of the proposed sales.
4. Consideration of the Committee’s draft Sustainable Transport Inquiry Report
11.40am Mr McDevitt joined the meeting.
Agreed: The Committee considered a revised draft of its Sustainable Transport Inquiry Report and agreed amendments to the report.
Agreed: The Committee agreed the Executive Summary section of the report, subject to agreed amendments.
Agreed: The Committee agreed the Recommendations section of the report, subject to agreed amendments.
Agreed: The Committee agreed the Introduction section of the report, subject to agreed amendments.
Agreed: The Committee agreed the “What is sustainable transport?” section of the report, subject to agreed amendments.
Agreed: The Committee agreed the “The challenge of sustainable transport in Northern Ireland” section of the report, subject to agreed amendments.
Agreed: The Committee agreed the “Overview of evidence received” section of the report, subject to agreed amendments.
Agreed: The Committee agreed the “Conclusions and recommendations” section of the report, subject to agreed amendments.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Committee office takes forward production of the appendices to the report.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Committee office takes forward the amendments to the report agreed at today’s meeting and that the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson approve the final version of the report to ensure that it is reflective of the Committee’s decisions.
Agreed: The Committee ordered that the Report on the Committee’s Inquiry into Sustainable Transport be printed.
5. Matters Arising (Continued)
Agreed: Members noted a paper from the Committee office providing the text of updates on the Committee’s work for publication on its pages on the Assembly website. The Committee noted and agreed to the proposed updates for publication.
6. Subordinate Legislation
11.43am Mr Boylan joined the meeting.
The Committee received briefing from Departmental officials, Brian Maxwell and Terry Deehan, in relation to the On-Street Parking (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011; the Off-Street Parking (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011; and the Off-Street Parking (Amendment No.2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011.
11.53am Mr McCann left the meeting.
11.59am Ms Lo left the meeting.
Following discussion, the Committee decided not to rescind its decisions of 16 March 2011 that it was content with the policy merits of to the On-Street Parking (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011 and the Off-Street Parking (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011.
In relation to the Off-Street Parking (Amendment No.2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011, the Chairperson proposed the following motion:
“that the Committee for Regional Development rescinds its decision of 16 March 2011 that the Committee is content with the policy merits of the Off-Street Parking (Amendment No.2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011”.
The Committee divided: Ayes 7; Noes 0; Abstentions 1.
Ayes: Mr Armstrong, Mr Bresland, Mr Cobain, Mr McCrea, Mr McDevitt, Miss McIlveen and Mr Robinson.
Noes: None.
Abstentions: Mr Boylan.
The motion therefore passed.
Also in relation to the Off-Street Parking (Amendment No.2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011, the Chairperson proposed the following motion:
“that the Committee for Regional Development is not content with the policy merits of the Off-Street Parking (Amendment No.2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011”.
The Committee divided: Ayes 7; Noes 0; Abstentions 1.
Ayes: Mr Armstrong, Mr Bresland, Mr Cobain, Mr McCrea, Mr McDevitt, Miss McIlveen and Mr Robinson.
Noes: None.
Abstentions: Mr Boylan.
The motion therefore passed.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department for Regional Development, informing it of these decisions.
Members noted receipt of the following statutory rule:
2011/98 The Trunk Road T8 (Toome to Castledawson) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011.
Members noted that the Examiner of Statutory Rules will report on this statutory rule in his Thirteenth Report to the Assembly for the 2010-11 Session, to be published in May 2011.
12.12pm Mr McDevitt left the meeting.
7. Correspondence
The Committee noted the first edition of “Passenger Transport”.
The Committee noted the spring edition on the Advices Matters newsletter.
8. Any Other Business
Agreed: The Deputy Chairperson raised an issue of correspondence in relation to the Rural Transport Fund, and agreed provide the Committee office with a copy of the correspondence.
Agreed: The Committee decided to write to the Department for Regional Development requesting clarification in relation to the use of the additional £107 million, announced in the final budget, to address pressures in the Rural Transport Fund.
The Chairperson thanked Members of the Regional Development Committee, past and present, for their commitment to the Committee throughout the mandate and wished them well for the future.
9. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting
Agreed: The Committee decided that this is the final meeting of the Committee for Regional Development for the current Assembly mandate and agreed that, if necessary, an additional meeting may be scheduled prior to dissolution of the Assembly on Thursday 24 March 2011.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.17pm.
Fred Cobain, MLA
Chairperson, Committee for Regional Development
21 March 2011
16 March 2011 / Menu
