Proceedings of the Regional Development Committee
Minutes of meeting held on Wednesday 22 November 2000
in room 135, Parliament Buildings
1. Minutes of last meeting
2. Matters arising
3. Presentation on the Department's economic appraisal of the options for the future of the Port of Belfast
4. Statutory Rules
5. Port of Belfast
6. Date of Next Meeting
Present were:
Mr A Maginness (Chairman)
Mr A Mc Farland (Deputy Chairman)
Mr PJ Bradley
Mr J Byrne
Mr D Ervine
Mr W Hay
Mr D Hussey
Mr R Hutchinson
Mr P McNamee
Mr J Wells
In Attendance:
Mrs D Pritchard ( Committee Clerk)
Mr S Fay ( Assistant Committee Clerk)
Mrs S Young ( Administrative Support)
The meeting commenced at 10.44am.
1. Minutes of last meeting
The minutes of the meeting held on 8 November and 15 November 2000 were agreed.
2. Matters arising
(a) Implications of using private bus companies for public transport
The Committee discussed the Department's reply.
Mr Hay left the meeting at 10.53am.
He returned at 10.58am.
Mr Wells joined the meeting at 10.58am.
Agreed: That officials from the Department of Environment (DOE) and representatives of Translink will be asked to attend a future meeting to discuss the matter.
That the Clerk will write to the Environment Committee seeking its agreement to meet the officials from the DOE.
That the Committee may have to meet more than once per week to deal with all the issues.
That the Clerk will establish the days on which Members are not available for meetings.
(b) Railways - Proposed visit to the Chilterns Railways
The Committee noted the programme for the visit on Tuesday, 5 December and Wednesday, 6 December 2000.
Agreed: That the Committee staff will finalise the arrangements for the visit and notify Members.
(c) Permission for taxis to use bus lanes
The Clerk has written to the Environment Committee to advise of the Committee's interest in this matter.
(d) Brownfield sites
The Committee discussed the report produced by the Assembly's research team.
Agreed: That Members will study the report in detail and discuss it again at next week's meeting.
(e) Legislative proposals for Northern Ireland Trust Ports
The Committee noted the Department's letter
(f) Department's responsibilities in relation to planning issues
The Department's reply is awaited.
Mr Ervine left the meeting at 11.13am
The Chairman declared the meeting to be in public session.
3. Presentation on the Department's economic appraisal of the options for the future of the Port of Belfast
Mr Ronnie Spence Permanent Secretary
Mr Robin McMinnis Director, Air and Sea Ports Division
Mr Graham Cash PricewaterhouseCoopers
joined the meeting at 11.14am.
They presented to the Committee a copy of the Department's report on the Economic Appraisal of the Options on the Future of the Port of Belfast and discussed its contents with the Committee.
Mr Ervine returned at 11.16am.
Mr Hussey joined the meeting at 11.16am.
He left the meeting at 11.24am.
Mr Bradley joined the meeting at 11.41am.
Mr Hutchinson left the meeting at 11.44am.
Mr Wells left the meeting at 12.13pm.
He returned at 12.20pm.
Mr Hutchinson returned at 12.26pm
Mr Wells left the meeting at 12.30pm.
Mr Ervine left the meeting at 12.30pm.
Mr McNamee left the meeting at 12.31pm.
The Chairman thanked the officials and the representative from PricewaterhouseCoopers for their presentation and they left at 12.35pm.
The meeting returned to closed session
4. Statutory Rules
Question Put and Agreed: "That the Regional Development Committee has considered Statutory Rule 305/2000-
Level Crossing (Antrim) Order (Northern Ireland) 2000;
and has no objection to the Rule"
Question Put and Agreed: "That the Regional Development Committee has considered Statutory Rule 306/2000-
Level Crossing (Kingsmore East) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2000;
and has no objection to the Rule"
Question Put and Agreed: "That the Regional Development Committee has considered Statutory Rule 307/2000-
Level Crossing (Kingsmore West) Order (Northern Ireland) 2000; and has no objection to the Rule"
Question Put and Agreed: "That the Regional Development Committee has considered Statutory Rule 308/2000-
Level Crossing (Ballymartin) Order (Northern Ireland) 2000;
and has no objection to the Rule"
Question Put and Agreed: "That the Regional Development Committee has considered Statutory Rule 309/2000-
Level Crossing (Kilmakee) Order (Northern Ireland) 2000;
and has no objection to the Rule"
Question Put and Agreed: "That the Regional Development Committee has considered Statutory Rule 310/2000-
Level Crossing (Kingsbog) Order (Northern Ireland) 2000;
and has no objection to the Rule"
Question Put and Agreed: "That the Regional Development Committee has considered Statutory Rule 322/2000-
Disabled Persons (Badges for Motor Vehicles) Amendment No 2) Regulations
and has no objection to the Rule"
Question Put and Agreed: "That the Regional Development Committee has considered Statutory Rule 323/2000-
Airfield Road, Eglinton (Abandonment) Order (NI) 2000
and has no objection to the Rule"
The Committee noted two other Statutory Rules which the Department intends to make entitled:
Bus Lanes (Ballynahinch Road, Carryduff) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001-; and Bishop Street Within/St Columb's Court, Londonderry (Footway)(Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2000.
5. Port of Belfast
The Committee returned to the matter of the Port of Belfast.
Mr Hutchinson left the meeting at 12.41pm.
Agreed: That the Committee will obtain a critique of the economic appraisal from a specialist adviser.
That the Chairman, Deputy Chairman and Clerk will liaise about the appointment of the specialist adviser.
6. Date of next meeting
The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 29 November 2000 at 10.30pm. in room 135, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting closed at 12.56pm.