Minutes of Proceedings - 10 January 2002
Present:
Rev Dr Wm. McCrea (Chairperson)
Mr A Doherty
Mr D Ford
Mr J Leslie
Mr D McClarty
Mr M McLaughlin
Mr M Murphy
Apologies:
Ms C Hanna
Mrs J Carson
Mr E Poots
Mr D Watson
In Attendance:
Mr J Simmons (Committee Clerk)
Miss J Adair (Assistant Clerk)
Mr J Beatty (Assistant Clerk)
Mr J Nulty (Executive Support)
Ms C Angelone (Administrative Support)
The meeting commenced at 10.34 a.m.
Mr Leslie joined the meeting at 10.35 a.m.
Mr McClarty joined the meeting at 10.36 a.m.
The Chairperson and Members expressed their sincere congratulations to the Deputy Chairperson, Ms Carmel Hanna, on her recent appointment as Minister for Employment and Learning and thanked Ms Hanna for all her hard work and dedicated service as Deputy Chairperson to the Committee for the Environment.
1. Minutes of previous meeting
The minutes of the meeting of 13 December 2001 were agreed.
2. Matters Arising
(i) The Committee considered letters from the three Regional Waste Management
Groups and the Department of the Environment providing updates on progress made in spending the remaining £2.5m Waste Management budget for 2001-2002.
| Agreed: | To invite Departmental Officials and representatives of the three groups to attend next week's meeting to give presentations on the progress made and to write to the Department regarding on three specific points raised in the North West Regional Waste Management Group's letter. |
(ii) The Committee considered a response from the Department of the
Environment commenting on a letter from Professor Montgomery, Queens University Belfast regarding studies and conservation of the Irish hare.
| Agreed: | To write to the Department regarding the Department's proposed new powers under the Game Preservation (Amendment) Bill in relation to the issuing of permits to net hares for coursing and the measures to be taken forward in the Species Action Plan for the Irish hare. |
3. Replies Outstanding
(i) Proposed ferry - update awaited from Newry and Mourne District Council.
(ii) Ballyrickard Landfill Site - Reply awaited from Larne borough Council.
4. Review of the Resource Element of the General Exchequer Grant
Dr Wm. McCrea, Mr McClarty and Mr M Murphy declared an interest as Local Government Councillors before the next two items were discussed
Ms Marie Finnegan, Ms Vivienne Collins and Dr Tracy Powers, Officials from the Department, joined the meeting at 10.55 a.m. After giving a presentation to the Committee on the above consultation paper; they answered questions from the Members.
Mr McClarty left the meeting at 11.34 a.m.
The Chairperson thanked the Officials for their attendance and they left the meeting at 11.40 a.m.
| Agreed: | That the Secretariat would prepare a draft response for consideration at next week's meeting. |
5. Consultation Document on Proposals for a Local Air Quality Assessment and Management Bill in Northern Ireland
Ms Helen Anderson, Ms Anne Hall, and Mr Nigel McMahon, Officials from the Department, joined the meeting at 11.42 a.m. After giving a presentation to the Committee on the above consultation paper; they answered questions from the Members.
Mr McClarty rejoined the meeting at 11.48 a.m.
The Chairperson thanked the Officials for their attendance and they left the meeting at 12.16 p.m.
| Agreed: | That the Secretariat would prepare a draft response for consideration at next week's meeting. |
6. UK Ratification of the EU Driving Disqualification Convention
The Committee considered a draft response to the above consultation document, issued by the Department on behalf of the Home Office, regarding proposals for UK legislation to allow for mutual recognition of driving disqualifications between EU Member States.
| Agreed: | To issue the response to the above consultation document. |
7. Planning (Amendment) Bill
The Committee considered a letter from the Minister of the Environment on the above Bill including the Department's decision not to proceed with the Committee's proposals for this Bill to deal with third Party Appeals or to create a new offence where development has taken place without planning permission. The letter advised the Committee that a Policy Memorandum on the draft Bill is being presented to the Executive Committee.
| Agreed: | To write to the Department seeking a copy of the agreed Policy Memorandum and highlighting that it is likely that the Committee will invite the Minister and Officials to discuss the Memorandum. |
8. Statutory Rules
The Committee gave consideration to the following SL1:
The Motor Vehicle (Third Party Risks) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002
| Agreed: | That the Committee had no comment on the above Rule. |
9. Any other Business
(i) The Committee noted a number of letters and papers including:
- Correspondence including a response from the Department of the Environment regarding the anti drink-drive campaign organised by the Bradley and Veeder families following the deaths of Robert Bradley and Alexandra Veeder as a result of a drink-drive incident;
| Agreed: | To invite the Bradley family to give a presentation to the Committee on the issue of drink driving and the families' campaign. |
- A Press Release issued by the Department of the Environment regarding road deaths and serious injuries in Northern Ireland during 2001;
- A letter from Seaport Investments Limited seeking a meeting with the Committee to give a presentation and to discuss proposed developments at the Giant's Causeway Visitors' Centre;
| Agreed: | To write to Seaport Investments declining their request for a meeting at this time. |
- A letter from a member of the public regarding the need for more detailed information in the Department of the Environment's Public Service Agreement;
- An invitation to Members to a Local Air Quality Evaluation Workshop sponsored by the three devolved administrations in Birmingham on 28 January 2002; and
- A letter from the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment seeking the Committee's comments regarding its Report on an Inquiry into Energy.
(ii) The Committee noted that guidance on Consideration Stage Debate of the Local Government (Best Value) Bill was being prepared and would be available for consideration at next week's meeting.
10. Next Meeting
The next meeting was scheduled for Thursday, 17 January 2002 at 10.30 a.m. in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting adjourned at 12.50 p.m.
Signed
Dr Wm. McCrea MLA (Chairperson)
