Committee for Infrastructure
Minutes of proceedings 12 February 2025
Committee for Infrastructure minutes of proceedings 12 February 2025.pdf (232.92 kb)
Meeting Location: Room 29, Parliament Buildings
Present:
Mrs Deborah Erskine MLA(Chairperson)
Mr John Stewart MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Cathal Boylan MLA
Ms Nicola Brogan MLA
Mr Keith Buchanan MLA
Mr Stephen Dunne MLA
Mr Mark Durkan MLA
Mr Andrew McMurray MLA
Mr Peter McReynolds MLA
Apologies:
None
In Attendance:
Ms Barbara Love (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Phil Pateman (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr William Kinnear (Clerical Officer)
Ms Andrienne Magee (Clerical Officer)
The meeting commenced in open session at 10:01 am.
1. Apologies
None.
Mr Stephen Dunne joined the meeting at 10:02 am.
2. Declaration of Interests
Mrs Deborah Erskine declared an interest as having family members who own land along the A5 route.
Mr Cathal Boylan declared an interest as having a family member who works for the Department for Infrastructure.
3. Chairperson’s Business
The Chairperson welcomed Nicola Brogan MLA to the Committee and on behalf of the Committee expressed gratitude to Danny Baker for his service.
Mr Mark Durkan joined the meeting at 10:05 am.
The Chairperson advised Members that she had an introductory meeting with the new Minister for Infrastructure, Liz Kimmins. During the meeting she expressed the Committees desire to work together and to take a solution-focussed approach; recognised challenges including budgetary challenges; raised the issue of the timing of papers to Committee and the need for more detail on legislative plans and associated timescales.
The Chairperson reminded Members that they will have the opportunity to hear from the Minister when she appears at Committee on 26 February 2025.
The Committee considered a Written Ministerial Statement, Public Expenditure 2024-25 Response to Storm Éowyn and Other Pressures, from the Minister for Finance in which DfI had identified funding pressures due to Storm Éowyn of £9.2 million Resource and £8 million Capital.
Agreed: To write to DfI seeking further detail of how the resource allocation of £8 million contained within the Minister of Finance’s written statement will be utilised and how the remaining unfunded pressures will be managed within the Department’s capital and resource limits.
4. Draft Minutes
Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday, 5 February 2025.
5. Matters Arising
None.
6. Correspondence
Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to Committee correspondence requesting further details on the Review of the Taxis Act (Northern Ireland) 2008.
Agreed: To write to the Department requesting to be kept up to date on the progress.
Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to Committee correspondence requesting weekly updates on the traffic congestion in Belfast.
Agreed: To write to the Department requesting monthly updates as providing weekly updates is problematic due to the frequency.
Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to Committee correspondence requesting further details on the Storm Bert Gully Pilot Scheme.
Agreed: To write to the Department requesting an update at the conclusion of the testing and to seek further detail on where the proposed pilot will be conducted.
Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to Committee correspondence requesting an update on the Review of the Planning (Development Management) Regulations 2015.
Agreed: To write to the Department to request an oral briefing on the summary of the consultation response and proposed options when available.
Correspondence from the Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee – Post Primacy Scrutiny of reports by the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG).
Mr Cathal Boylan declared an interest as a member of the Public Accounts Committee.
Agreed: To schedule oral evidence from the NIAO on the content of the report and key issues at a mutually convenient time in the Forward Work Programme.
Correspondence from the Interim Regional Planning Commission.
Agreed: To write to the IRPC to reiterate its position and to schedule oral evidence to occur prior to the Easter recess.
The Committee noted the following items of correspondence:
- Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to Committee correspondence requesting further details on Active Travel Initiatives;
- Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to Committee correspondence requesting further details on NICS Sickness absences by Industrial staff;
- Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to Committee correspondence requesting further details on the January Monitoring Round;
- Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to Committee correspondence requesting further details on Traffic Congestion Belfast - Ongoing issues;
- Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to Committee correspondence regarding the Termination of the DVA Vehicle Testing Equipment Contract;
- Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to Committee correspondence regarding the Taxis in Bus Lanes Consultation;
- Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to Committee correspondence regarding the Review of Residents Parking;
- Copy correspondence from the Department for Infrastructure to Committee for Communities - Wastewater Infrastructure;
- Correspondence from the Committee for the Economy regarding the Translink Strategic Business Case for a 1-year pilot extension of its weekend Late Night Service; and
- Correspondence from the Committee for Finance providing the Analysis of 2024-25 Outturn and Forecast Outturn.
7. Draft Budget 2025-2026 – Translink – Oral Evidence
The following representatives joined the meeting at 10:16 am:
- Ronan O’Doherty, Chief Financial Officer, Translink; and
- Ian Campbell, Director of Service Operations, Translink.
The representatives provided the Committee with an update on Translink’s budgetary requirements for 2025-2026.
The evidence session was reported by Hansard.
Mr Peter McReynolds joined the meeting at 11:12 am.
The representatives left the meeting at 11:24 am.
Agreed: To write to Translink to request the following:
- Detail of the complement of revenue protection officers and how these are deployed to deter those who evade fares;
- Detail of the hotspots identified by Translink and corresponding data on the instances of fare evasion including an assessment of revenue lost;
- Translink’s assessment of the percentage uptake of concessionary fares by passenger from rural and urban areas;
- Tranlink’s assessment of the types and costs of vandalism to owned assets;
- Confirmation of the percentage of the funding contribution by the SEUPB, Department of Transport (Ireland) and the Department for Infrastructure to upgrade the Enterprise Services and the actual values once procurement has been awarded; and
- Detail of the capital costs for replacing buses to zero emission and corresponding fuels savings.
8. Assembly Research and Information Service – Planning Applications and Flood Risk – Oral Evidence
The following researcher joined the meeting at 11:26 am:
- Suzie Cave. Researcher.
The research officer provided the Committee with an update on Planning Applications and Flood Risk.
The evidence session was reported by Hansard.
The researcher left the meeting at 11:53 am.
Agreed: The researcher undertook to provide the Committee with further information in relation to the issues discussed.
Agreed: To forward a copy of the research paper to the Department for comment on the questions raised.
9. Public Consultation on Developer Contributions – Department for Infrastructure – Written Evidence
The Committee considered the Public Consultation on Developer Contributions – Department for Infrastructure.
Agreed: To schedule an oral evidence session following the conclusion of the consultation to consider the summary of responses.
10. SR 2025-5 The Sydenham By-Pass, Belfast (Stopping-Up) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025
The Committee considered SR 2025-5 The Sydenham By-Pass, Belfast (Stopping-Up) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025.
Agreed: That the Committee for Infrastructure has considered SR 2025-5 The Sydenham By-Pass, Belfast (Stopping-Up) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025 and has no objection to the rule.
11. SR 2025-7 The U8017 (unnamed road) off Redrock Road, Markethill (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025
The Committee considered SR 2025-7 The U8017 (unnamed road) off Redrock Road, Markethill (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025.
Agreed: That the Committee for Infrastructure has considered SR 2025-7 The U8017 (unnamed road) off Redrock Road, Markethill (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025 and has no objection to the rule.
12. SL1 - The Moore’s Lane, Lurgan (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025
The Committee considered SL1 - The Moore’s Lane, Lurgan (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025.
Agreed: The Committee was content with the proposal for the Statutory Rule.
Agreed: To write to the Department to seek further detail of the nature of the objection received prior to the advertised consultation period.
13. Subordinate Legislation – SRs Not subject to Assembly Procedure
The Committee noted the following Statutory Rule, which is not subject to Assembly Proceedings:
- SR 2025-15 The Parking and Waiting Restrictions (Belfast) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025
14. Forward Work Programme
The Committee considered the draft Forward Work Programme.
Agreed: To proceed with the scheduled evidence as set out in the draft Forward Work Programme, subject to any changes agreed during the meeting.
15. Any Other Business
None.
16. Date, Time and Place of next meeting
The next meeting will be on Wednesday, 19 February 2025 at 10:00 am in Room 29, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:02 pm.
Mrs Deborah Erskine
Chairperson, Committee for Infrastructure
19 February 2025
