Committee for Infrastructure

Minutes of Proceedings 8 December 2021

Committee for Infrastructure Minutes - 8 December 2021.pdf (180.57 kb)

Committee for Infrastructure

Minutes of Proceedings

8 December 2021

Meeting Location: The Palace Stables, The Palace Demesne, Armagh

Present:
Mr Jonathan Buckley MLA(Chairperson)
Mr Roy Beggs MLA
Mr Cathal Boylan MLA
Ms Cara Hunter MLA
Ms Liz Kimmins MLA
Mr Andrew Muir MLA

Apologies:
Mr Pádraig Delargy MLA
Mr David Hilditch MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr George Robinson MLA

In Attendance:
Mr Vincent Gribbin (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Jim McManus (Assembly Clerk)
Mr William Kinnear (Clerical Supervisor)

The meeting commenced at 10:24 am in public session.

1.    Apologies

As above.

2.    Chairpersons Business

The Chairperson thanked Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council for hosting Committee meeting.

The Chairperson reminded members of the arrangements for the Committee’s online Engagement Meeting on 15 December 2021 at 2:00pm.

3.    Draft Minutes.

Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 1 December 2021.

4.    Matters Arising

The Committee considered the wording for a Motion on DVA backlogs.

"That this Assembly recognises both the difficulties and disruption caused to all public facing services, including DVA, as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic, as well as unnecessary costs that can be faced by individuals and businesses as a result of preventable delays in the provision of driver and vehicle testing services by DVA, particularly in relation to driver testing and retesting, and the reduced number of vehicles being tested compared to pre-pandemic levels; acknowledges the work done by the Minister for Infrastructure and the Department to date to restore services; and calls on the Minister for Infrastructure to put in place creative and innovative measures to eliminate unnecessary and preventable delays in order to reduce costs and uncertainty to individuals and businesses.”

The question was put that the Committee is content with the proposal.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to table the motion in the Business Office.

5.    Correspondence

Correspondence from Investing Strategy for Northern Ireland providing the Department for Infrastructure - Investing Activity Report - November 2021.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.

Copy correspondence from the House of Lords, Lord Jay to Baroness Vere – Response to speed assistance devices in Northern Ireland.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward to the Department for information and comment.

Copy correspondence from Lord Jay to Baroness Vere – Vehicle Safety Technologies Common Frameworks - Alcohol drowsiness

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward to the Department for information and comment.

Response from Logistics UK to Committee request for and update issues being faced by the logistics sector.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward to the Department for information and comment and to schedule a briefing in the Forward Work Programme.

Agreed: Clerk to prepare a summary of requests from Logistics UK to the Committee in advance of an oral evidence session.

Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to issued arising from the Committee for Infrastructure meeting on 17 November 2021.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to ask the Department to provide information on the timescale for the outcome of the Review of the Planning Act 2011.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to ask the Department to provide statistical information on the average response times for statutory consultees to the planning process for the previous 3 years.

Correspondence from a member of the public regarding the EV charging network.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward to the Department for information and comment.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to ask the Department for information on what legislative barriers exist to introducing a cost for the charging of Electric Vehicles and what legislation it envisages will be necessary for the EV charging infrastructure in the future.

Correspondence from Renewable NI request to brief the Committee on the Powering a Green Recovery Report.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule a briefing in the Forward Work Programme after the publication of the Energy Strategy.

Response from ESB to Committee request for input into the Inquiry into Decarbonising Road Transport in Northern Ireland.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.

Response from the PSNI to Committee correspondence regarding attacks on public transport.

Agreed: The Committee noted its concern for the safety Translink staff and agreed to raise the issue during its briefing with the Minister for Infrastructure.

Copy of correspondence from a member of the public to the Minister for Infrastructure regarding cycle lanes and other road issues Ballymena.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to request that the Minister copy her response to the Committee.

Department for Infrastructure - Spring Roads Report for the Belfast City Council area.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.

Department for Infrastructure - Autumn Roads Report for the Belfast City Council area.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to ask the Department for information on the reason for the current delays with the development of the York Street Interchange and the A6 and the timescale for the projects. 

Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule a briefing on the York Street interchange in the Forward Work Programme

Department for Infrastructure- Spring Roads Report for the Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council area.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.

Department for Infrastructure - Autumn Roads Report for the Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council area.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.

Police Service for Northern Ireland - Response from the PSNI to Committee correspondence regarding MOT fines during pandemic

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the correspondence to the Minister requesting information on what appeals process and leeway her Department is allowing in response to fines issued to drivers as a result of backlogs in MOT tests. 

Correspondence from the Assembly Clerking and Member Support Office regarding provision of a Deaf Awareness course.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence.

6.    Briefing from – Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council

The representatives joined the meeting at 10:42 am.

Mr Roger Wilson, Chief Executive

Mrs Olga Murtagh, Director of Place

The representatives provided the Committee with an oral briefing.

A question and answer session followed.

The Chairperson thanked the representatives for their attendance.

The representatives left the meeting at 11:34 am.

7.    Briefing from Portadown Armagh Railway Society

The representatives joined the meeting at 11:35 am.

Mr Derek Smyth, Committee Member

Mr William Parr, Committee Member

The representatives provided the Committee with an oral briefing.

A question and answer session followed.

The Committee suspended at 11:51 am.

The Committee resumed at 11:53 am.

The Committee suspended at 12:10 pm.

The Committee resumed at 12:13 pm.

The Chairperson thanked the representatives for their attendance.

The representatives left the meeting at 12:26 pm.

8.    Forward Work Programme

The Committee considered the Draft Forward Work Programme.

9.    Any Other Business

None.

10. Date, Time and Place of the next meeting

The next meeting will be on Wednesday, 15 December 2021 at 10:00 am in the Room 29, Parliament Buildings.

The meeting was adjourned at 12:30 pm.

Mr Jonathan Buckley MLA
Chairperson, Committee for Infrastructure
15 December 2021