Committee for Infrastructure
Minutes of Proceedings - 20 March 2024
Committee for Infrastructure - Minutes of Proceedings 20 March 2024.pdf (186.87 kb)
Meeting Location: Room 29, Parliament Buildings
Present: Mrs Deborah Erskine MLA(Chairperson)
Mr John Stewart MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Danny Baker MLA
Mr Cathal Boylan MLA
Mr Patrick Brown MLA
Mr Keith Buchanan MLA
Mr Stephen Dunne MLA
Mr Mark Durkan MLA
Apologies:
Mr Peter McReynolds MLA
In Attendance:
Mr Jim McManus (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Philip Pateman (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr Jonathan Lawless (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr William Kinnear (Clerical Officer)
The meeting commenced at 10:01 am in public session.
1. Apologies
As above.
2. Declaration of Interests
The Chairperson reminded members of their responsibilities under Standing Order 69(5) that all Assembly Members are required to register any relevant financial and other interests in the Register of Members’ Interests and the requirement to declare, at various times, any relevant financial or other interests which relate to the work of any committee of which they are a member.
3. Chairperson’s Business
There was no Chairperson’s business.
4. Draft Minutes
Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday, 13 March 2024 that were tabled.
5. Matters Arising
Agreed: To seek further detail from the Department for Infrastructure on the content, policy objectives and anticipated timescales for the, proposed, Road and Rail Transport Bill.
The Committee considered correspondence issued by the Committee to Ards and North Down Borough Council regarding SL1 – The Green Road, Conlig (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024.
Agreed: To further consider the policy proposals as outlined at the Committee meeting on 10 April 2024 subject to receipt of a response from Ards and North Down Borough Council.
6. Correspondence
Correspondence from WEEV to provide oral evidence to the Committee on the electric vehicle-charging infrastructure.
Agreed: To consider the matter again when considering the key issues raised in the correspondence and to request that WEEV to provides a copy of the Minister’s response upon receipt.
Correspondence from IMTAC to provide oral evidence to the Committee on the work of IMTAC.
Agreed: To consider the matter again when considering the key issues raised in the correspondence.
Correspondence from the Committee for Finance on the Northern Ireland Consolidated Fund.
Agreed: To consider further when taking evidence on budget related matters.
Correspondence from the Committee for Finance on Victoria Square Residential Complex
Agreed: To request a copy of the response from the Minister of Finance and to write to the original correspondent to highlight that, following the recent developments in this case, the Committee will have no future role on the issues raised.
The Committee noted the Fourth Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules.
7. Overview of the Role and Functions of Translink including Annual Report and Accounts and Business Plan
The following representatives joined the meeting at 10:10 am.
- Chris Conway, Chief Executive, Translink; and
- Graeme Smyth, Public Affairs and Project Communications Officer, Translink.
The representatives provided the Committee with oral evidence.
A question and answer session followed.
The representatives left the meeting at 11:12 am.
Agreed: To receive a response from Translink on the issues not covered during the oral evidence session.
Agreed: To respond to Transport Hub Alternatives Group (THAG) regarding the issues raised relating to the Boyne Bridge.
8. Overview of DFI’s Water and Departmental Delivery: Finance and Budget Briefing
The following departmental officials joined the meeting at 11:15 am.
- Declan McGeown, Deputy Secretary, Department for Infrastructure;
- Julie Thompson, Deputy Secretary, Department for Infrastructure,
- Colin Woods, Deputy Secretary, Department for Infrastructure; (joined remotely) and
- Susan Anderson, Director of Finance, Department for Infrastructure.
The departmental officials provided the Committee with oral evidence.
A question and answer session followed.
The officials undertook to provide the Committee with a breakdown of the overall cost for the provision of the winter service for the 2024-25 financial year.
The officials undertook to provide the Committee with the baseline figure and outturn for the winter service for 2023-24 financial year and to provide further detail of the likely financial uplift for Northern Ireland Water in 2024-25 financial year against the current determination arising from the Utility Regulator’s mid-term review of PC21.
The departmental officials left the meeting at 12:08 pm.
Agreed: To seek a response from the Department on issues highlighted in the course of the evidence relating to the historical reclassification of capital funding to resource funding by Translink when maintaining assets.
Agreed: To request further detail on the scope and permissions for reclassifying expenditure between capital and resource funding from Assembly Research and Information Service.
Agreed: To receive a response from the Department on any of the issues not covered during the oral evidence session.
9. Subordinate Legislation – SL1s – Not Subject to Assembly Proceedings
The Committee considered the following proposals for Subordinate Legislation not subject to Assembly Proceedings.
- SL1 The Road Races (Craigantlet Hill Climb) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024
- SL1 The Road Races (Cookstown 100 Motor Cycle Road Race) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024
- SL1 The Road Races (North West 200) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024
- SL1 The Road Races (Maiden City Stages Rally) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024
Agreed: The Committee was content with the proposals for the statutory rules.
10. SR 2024-53 The Dungannon Road, Portadown (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024
The Committee considered SR 2024-53 The Dungannon Road, Portadown (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024.
Agreed: That the Committee for Infrastructure has considered SR 2024-53 The Dungannon Road, Portadown (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 and, subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rules’ report, has no objection to the rule.
11. Forward Work Programme
The Committee considered the Draft Forward Work Programme.
Mr Keith Buchanan left the meeting at 1:13 pm.
Agreed: To update the draft Forward Work Programme to reflect decisions taken today.
17. Any Other Business.
Agreed: To continue the existing practice to delegate authority to the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson to deal with any non-routine or contentious Freedom of Information requests over the recess period.
18. Date, Time and Place of next meeting.
The next meeting will be on Wednesday, 20 March 2024 at 10:00 am in Room 29, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:20 pm.
Mrs Deborah Erskine MLA
Chairperson, Committee for Infrastructure
10 April 2024
