Proceedings of the Regional Development Committee
Minutes of meeting held on Wednesday, 20 December 2000
in room 135, Parliament Buildings
1. Minutes of last meeting
2. Matters arising
3. Presentation from Belfast Metropolitan Residents Group
4. Regional Transportation Strategy
5. Request for re-opening of the Portadown-Armagh railway line
6. Statutory Rules
7. AOB
8. Date of next meeting
Present were:
Mr A Maginness (Chairman)
Mr A Mc Farland (Deputy Chairman)
Mr PJ Bradley
Mr D Ervine
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)
Mr N Currie (Executive Support)
Mrs S Young ( Administrative Support)
Apologies:
Mr J Byrne
Mr W Hay
The meeting commenced at 10.27am.
The Deputy Chairman took the chair.
1. Minutes of last meeting
The Chairman joined the meeting at 10.28am and chaired the meeting.
The minutes of the meeting held on 15 December 2000 were agreed.
The matter of the number of Members required to form a quorum at Committee meetings was raised.
Agreed: That the matter will be raised at the Chairman's Liaison Group.
2. Matters arising
(a) Tax on lorries entering U.K.
Agreed: That more information would be obtained to establish -
- if there has been a consultation process for introducing the tax on lorries entering the UK;
- the Department's input to the consultation process;
- what class of road will attract the tax ; and
- what will happen to revenue raised.
Mr Wells joined the meeting at 10.40am.
3. Presentation from Belfast Metropolitan Residents Group
Representatives from the Belfast Metropolitan Residents Group joined the meeting at 10.41am. They were:
Mr Peter Carr Chairman
Mr Robin Cameron Secretary
Mr Arthur Acheson Member
They gave a presentation on brownfield sites in the Belfast area and answered Members' questions on the subject.
Mr Ervine left the meeting at 11.21am.
The deputation left the meeting at 11.25am.
Mr McFarland left the meeting at 11.25am.
4. Regional Transportation Strategy
At 11.26am the Minister and officials from the Department joined the meeting. The officials were
Mr Ronnie Spence Permanent Secretary
Mr Paul Sweeney Deputy Secretary
Dr Malcolm McKibbon Director of Regional Transportation Strategy.
They described the visions and aims of the Regional Transportation Strategy and outlined the consultation process which the Department will hold.
Mr Hussey joined the meeting at 11.28am.
Mr McFarland returned at 11.30am.
Mr Ervine returned at 11.35am.
Mr Wells left the meeting at 11.49am.
Mr Hutchinson left the meeting at 11.50am.
Mr Wells returned at 11.57am.
Mr Hutchinson returned at 12.04pm.
Dr McKibbon offered to arrange a workshop for the Committee on the Regional Transportation Strategy. It was agreed this would take place sometime in the New Year.
The Minister and his officials left the meeting at 12.09pm.
The meeting returned to item 2 - Matters arising from the last meeting.
(b) Facilities for residents in the Lagmore area of Dunmurry.
Agreed: That Councillor Ferguson would be advised to raise his concerns through the MLAs representing the area.
A copy of the letter would be sent to the Department for information.
Mr Wells left the meeting at 12.18pm.
(c) British / Irish Inter- Parliamentary Body - Inquiry into transport link between Britain and Ireland.
Agreed: That the Chairman will inform Mr Jackson, the Chairman of the European Affairs Committee, of the Committee's thinking on the matter.
That any reports already produced on the subject will be obtained for Members.
That the Committee will return to the matter at the next meeting.
5. Request for re-opening of the Portadown-Armagh railway line
The Committee noted the letter from Councillor Sylvia McRoberts, Armagh City and District Council, on this matter.
6. Statutory Rules
The Committee noted three tables listing Statutory Rules which the Department intends to make. The first table listed Rules which do not have to be laid in the Assembly. The second table listed Rules which are subject to negative resolution and which will be sent to the Committee for scrutiny when laid. The third table listed a Rule which is subject to affirmative resolution and which will be sent to the Committee for scrutiny when laid.
7. AOB
(a) Roads Service pay negotiations.
Members asked about developments in the negotiations.
Agreed: That the Department will be asked to update the Committee on the current state of the negotiations.
That the Department will be asked for details of the number of temporary staff currently employed and how many of them have been working for less than two years.
8. Date of next meeting
The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 10 January 2001 at 10.30am. in room 135, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting closed at 12.38pm.