Committee for Infrastructure
Minutes of Proceedings 29 January 2025
Committee for Infrastructure minutes of proceedings 29 January 2025.pdf (193.65 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 Keith Buchanan MLA
Mr Stephen Dunne MLA
Mr Peter McReynolds MLA
Mr Andrew McMurray MLA
Via Video Conference:
Mr Mark Durkan MLA
Apologies:
None.
In Attendance:
Ms Barbara Love (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Phil Pateman (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr Jonathan Lawless (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr William Kinnear (Clerical Officer)
The meeting commenced in open session at 10:04 am.
1. Apologies
None.
2. Declaration of Interests
None.
3. Chairperson’s Business
The Chairperson, on behalf of the Committee, expressed gratitude in recognition of frontline staff of the Department for Infrastructure, Northern Ireland Water, the Emergency Services and volunteers in response to the disruption cause by Storm Éowyn.
Mr Keith Buchanan joined the meeting at 10:08 am.
4. Draft Minutes
Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday, 22 January 2025.
5. Matters Arising
The Committee considered a response from the Minister for Infrastructure regarding the January Monitoring Round.
Agreed: To write toDfI to seek further detail on the areas of spend and amounts of the internal movements that enabled the allocation of £3.8 million to Translink.
Agreed: To commence the meeting on 5 February 2025 in closed session to consider the broader Budget process and areas of interest relevant to the Department’s draft budget allocation for 2025-26.
6. Correspondence
The Committee noted the following items of correspondence:
- Correspondence from the Committee for Finance regarding Northern Ireland Civil Service Sickness Levels;
- Correspondence from the Committee for Education providing a response from the Education Authority regarding zero emission vehicles and fleet management; and
- Response from Translink providing a copy of the Business Case for the Nightmovers Service.
7. Planning Improvement Programme – Department for Infrastructure – Oral Evidence
The following Departmental officials joined the meeting at 10:12 am:
- Judith Andrews, Acting Deputy Secretary for Climate Planning and Public Transport;
- Rosemary Daly, Director Regional Planning, Governance and Legislation; and
- Fiona McGrady, Regional Planning Governance & Legislation.
The Departmental officials provided the Committee with an update on the Planning Improvement Programme.
The evidence session was reported by Hansard.
Mr Stephen Dunne left the meeting 11:20 am.
Agreed: To write to DfI seeking detail on what proportion of the 40,000 applications have been subject to further consultation.
Mr Stephen Dunne re-joined the meeting at 11:28 am.
The Chairperson thanked the Departmental officials for their briefing.
The Departmental officials left the meeting at 11:28 am.
The meeting suspended at 11:28 am.
The meeting recommenced at 11:36 am with the following members present:
In person:
Mrs Deborah Erskine MLA(Chairperson)
Mr John Stewart MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Danny Baker MLA
Mr Cathal Boylan MLA
Mr Keith Buchanan MLA
Mr Stephen Dunne MLA
Mr Peter McReynolds MLA
Mr Andrew McMurray MLA
Via Video Conference:
Mr Mark Durkan MLA
8. Operational update including measures to support traffic disruption in Belfast – Translink – Oral Evidence
The Committee noted email correspondence from the Chairperson of Ulster Architectural Heritage relating to the removal of the Boyne Bridge in Belfast.
The following representatives joined the meeting at 11:37 am:
- Chris Conway, Chief Executive;
- Ian Campbell, Director of Service Operations; and
- John Glass, Director of Infrastructure & Projects.
The representatives provided the Committee with an operational update including measures to support traffic disruption in Belfast.
The evidence session was reported by Hansard.
Mr Danny Baker left the meeting at 12:18 pm.
The Chairperson thanked the Departmental officials for their briefing.
The representatives left the meeting at 12:39 pm.
9. Biennial MOT testing consultation – Department for Infrastructure – Written Evidence
The Committee considered Biennial MOT testing consultation from DfI.
Agreed: To schedule an oral evidence session following the conclusion of the consultation to consider the summary of responses.
10. SI 2024-1160 The Vehicle Drivers (Certificates of Professional Competence) (Amendment) Regulations 2024
The Committee considered SI 2024-1160 The Vehicle Drivers (Certificates of Professional Competence) (Amendment) Regulations 2024.
Agreed: To schedule an evidence session on the impacts at a local level and the required processes for implementing the reforms to maintain parity.
11. Subordinate Legislation – SRs Not subject to Assembly Procedure
The Committee noted the following Statutory Rules, which is are not subject to Assembly Proceedings:
- SR 2025-6 The Parking and Waiting Restrictions (Derry/Londonderry) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025; and
- SR 2025-8 The Parking Places (Disabled Persons’ Vehicles) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025.
12. Subordinate Legislation – SL1s Not subject to Assembly Procedure
The Committee noted the following proposal for a Statutory Rule, which is not subject to Assembly Proceedings:
- SL1 –The Parking and Waiting Restrictions (Belfast) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025.
13. 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.
14. Any Other Business
None.
15. Date, Time and Place of next meeting
The next meeting will be on Wednesday, 5 February 2025 at 10:00 am in Room 29, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:44 pm.
Mrs Deborah Erskine
Chairperson, Committee for Infrastructure
5 February 2025
