Committee for Infrastructure
Minutes of Proceedings - 26 June 2024
Download these Minutes of Proceedings as a PDF (6 pages, 174KB)
Meeting Location: Room 29, Parliament Buildings
Present:
- Mrs Deborah Erskine MLA(Chairperson)
- Mr Danny Baker MLA
- Mr Cathal Boylan MLA
- Mr Mark Durkin MLA
- Mr Stephen Dunne MLA
- Mr Andrew McMurray MLA
- Mr Peter McReynolds MLA
Apologies:
- Mr John Stewart MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
- Mr Keith Buchanan MLA
In Attendance:
- Mrs Kathy O’Hanlon (Assembly Clerk)
- Mr Phil Pateman (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
- Mr William Kinnear (Clerical Officer)
The meeting commenced in public session at 10:01 am.
1. Apologies
As above.
2. Declaration of Interests
None.
3. Chairperson’s Business
None.
4. Draft Minutes
Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 19 June 2024.
5. Matters Arising
The Committee noted a response from the Minister for Infrastructure on issues relating to grass cutting and where responsibility rests between the Department for Infrastructure and local councils for undertaking such work.
Agreed: To ask each council for details of their responsibilities in relation to the grass cutting at or within the vicinity of sightlines.
6. Correspondence
Copy correspondence from the Committee for the Economy to Translink on the provision of public transport and related impacts on the night-time economy.
Agreed: To request a copy Tranlink’s of written response to the Committee for the Economy and an overview of the key issues discussed during any informal meetings on this matter.
Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to the Committee’s request for information following the BBC Spotlight Programme ‘The Lough Neagh Monster’.
Agreed: To ask the Department for Infrastructure to clarify when the remaining storm overflows that spill excess wastewater either directly or indirectly into Lough Neagh will be assessed; whether there is a programme of improvement for those storm drains deemed to be unsatisfactory and the associated costs of such a programme; and if more treatment than normal is required to bring water from Lough Neagh to a safe drinking standard.
Response from the Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to the Committee’s request for information following the BBC Spotlight Programme ‘The Lough Neagh Monster’.
Agreed: To request further information from the Minister to detail the relevant partners that will be consulted as part of the review of the Statement of Regulatory Principles and Intent (SORPI) and whether any resulting proposed changes will require agreement by the Executive.
Correspondence from the Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs requesting to be updated on matters raised by the Committee for Infrastructure arising from the BBC Spotlight Programme ‘The Lough Neagh Monster’.
Agreed: To forward the responses from the Minister for Infrastructure and Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.
The Committee noted the following items of correspondence:
- Copy correspondence from the Public Accounts Committee to the Department for Infrastructure requesting further information in follow up to the oral briefing on the memorandum of reply the report ‘Planning in Northern Ireland’ on 13 June.
- Response from Northern Ireland Water providing further requested in the course of the Committee’s meeting on 24 April as part of its pre-legislative scrutiny of on the Water, Flooding and Drainage Bill.
- Correspondence from the Committee for the Economy on the content of ISNI Investing Activity Reports.
- Correspondence from the Minister for Infrastructure to the Speaker on his intention to make an oral statement to the Assembly on the North South Ministerial Council Transport Sectoral Meeting.
7. Renewal Energy – RenewableNI, ABO Energy and Renewable Energy Systems – Oral Evidence
The following representatives joined the meeting at 10:17 am:
- Steven Agnew, Director, RenewableNI;
- Patricia McGrath, Head of Project Development in Northern Ireland, ABO Energy; and
- John Boyce, Development Director (Wind), Renewable Energy Systems Limited.
The representatives provided the Committee with an overview of the issues affecting the renewable energy sector.
The oral evidence session was reported by Hansard.
A question and answer session followed.
The representatives agreed to provide further information as requested during the evidence session.
The evidence session ended at 11:15 am.
Danny Baker left the meeting at 11:15 am.
Agreed: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for his assessment of the reasons for the delays in responses from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency as a statutory consultee for planning applications.
Agreed: To request details of the proposed components of an incentive scheme for renewable energy from the Department for the Economy.
8. In-Year Monitoring: June 2024 – Department for Infrastructure – Oral Evidence
The following officials joined the meeting at 11:20 am:
- Declan McGeown, Deputy Secretary, Water and Departmental Delivery Group, DfI;
- Susan Anderson, Director of Finance, DfI;
- Judith Andrews, Director, Public Transport Operations, DfI; and
- Colin Sykes, Director, Road Asset Maintenance, DfI.
Danny Baker joined the meeting at 11:23 am.
The officials provided the Committee with an overview of Department’s submission for the June Monitoring Round.
The oral evidence session was reported by Hansard.
The evidence session ended at 11:47 am.
9. Subordinate Legislation – SL1 The Motor Vehicles (Authorised Wight) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024
The Committee considered SL1 – Motor Vehicles (Authorised Weight) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024.
Agreed: The Committee was content with the proposal for the Statutory Rule.
Agreed: To seek further detail from the Department on the timescales for a review of axle weights for other purposes.
10. Subordinate Legislations – SL1s Not Subject to Assembly Procedure
The Committee noted the following proposals for Subordinate Legislation not subject to Assembly Proceedings:
- SL1 The Parking Places on Roads, Waiting Restrictions and Motor Hackney Carriages (Belfast) By-Laws (Amendments) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024; and
- SL1 The Bus Lanes (Belfast City Centre) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024.
11. Department for Infrastructure Business Plan 2023-24 – End Year Monitoring Plan
The Committee noted the DfI’s End Year Monitoring Report for the 2023-24 Business Plan.
Agreed: To schedule oral evidence in the Forward Work Programme to review the Department’s progress against it objectives in the 2023-24 business plan and on the 2024-25 business plan.
12. Draft Strategic Plan
The Committee noted the draft Strategic Plan that sets out the key issues identified during the strategic planning session on 17 April 2024.
13. Forward Work Programme
The Committee considered the Draft Forward Work Programme from September.
Agreed: to proceed with the scheduled evidence as set out in the Draft Forward Work Programme.
14. Any Other Business
None.
15. Date, Time and Place of next meeting
The next meeting will be on Wednesday, 11 September 2024 at 10:00 am in Room 29, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:57 pm.
Mrs Deborah Erskine
Chairperson, Committee for Infrastructure
26 June 2024
