Committee for Infrastructure
Minutes of Proceedings - 13 May 2026
Committee for Infrastructure - 13 May 2026.pdf (207.77 kb)
Meeting Location: Room 29, Parliament Buildings, Stormont, Belfast
Present:
Mr Peter Martin MLA (Chairperson)
Mr John Stewart MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Stephen Dunne MLA
Mr Maolíosa McHugh MLA
Mr Andrew McMurray MLA
Mr Peter McReynolds MLA
Via Video Conferencing:
Mr Justin McNulty MLA
Apologies:
Mr Cathal Boylan MLA
Mr Harry Harvey MLA
In Attendance:
Mr Michael Potter (Assembly Clerk)
Ms Aoife Keating-Fitzpatrick (Senior Assistant Clerk)
Mr Philip Pateman (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr Jonathan Lawless (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Oliver Briant (Clerical Officer)
The meeting commenced at 10:03 am in closed session.
7. Correspondence
The Committee considered correspondence received from a member of the public in relation to whistleblowing allegations.
The following Assembly officials joined the meeting at 10:03 am.
- Dr Frank Geddis, Clerk Assistant, Northern Ireland Assembly; and
- Adam Leitch, Assembly Legal Services, Northern Ireland Assembly.
A question and answer session followed.
Agreed: To commission legal advice on the role of the Committee and its remit in relation to the issues contained within the contents of the correspondence.
Agreed: To write to the correspondent to acknowledge receipt of their correspondence and to outline the Committee’s approach.
The officials left the meeting at 10:30 am.
The Committee agreed to consider the remainder of the correspondence in open session at the appropriate agenda item.
1. Water, Sustainable Drainage and Flood Management Bill
The following Assembly officials joined the meeting at 10:31 am.
- Dr. Frank Geddis, Clerk Assistant, Northern Ireland Assembly; and
- Liz Marsh, Bill Clerk, Northern Ireland Assembly .
A question and answer session followed.
Agreed: That the Clerk would liaise with the Departmental Assembly Liaison Officer (DALO)to establish when a response is expected to be received on the outstanding issues as previously highlighted by the Committee.
Agreed: To write to the Minister to establish the reasons for the delayed response to the issues raised by the Committee when examining the provisions within the Bill.
The officials left the meeting at 11:17 am.
The meeting was suspended at 11:18 am.
The meeting resumed in public session at 11:25 am with the following Members present:
Present:
Mr Peter Martin MLA (Chairperson)
Mr John Stewart MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Stephen Dunne MLA
Mr Maolíosa McHugh MLA
Mr Andrew McMurray MLA
Mr Peter McReynolds MLA
Via Video Conferencing:
Mr Justin McNulty MLA
2. Apologies
As above.
3. Declaration of Interests
None.
4. Chairperson’s Business
The Chairperson referred to recent media articles which detailed the surrender of monies to the Department of Finance by the Department for Infrastructure.
Agreed: To write to the Department to seek its assessment of the key drivers for the reduced capital requirement for road projects in 2025-26 and to seek an overview of how the funding received by the Department from monitoring rounds in the last financial year was utilised.
The Chairperson referred to the Voluntary Motor Insurance Transparency Code.
Agreed: To write to the Department to establish what engagement it has undertaken with its counterparts in the Republic of Ireland on the Voluntary Motor Insurance Transparency Code and what consideration, if any, is being given to develop a similar code in Northern Ireland.
5. Draft Minutes
Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday, 6 May 2026.
6. Matters Arising
The Committee noted an update from the Clerk regarding its ongoing scrutiny of legislative proposals by the Department to implement provisions under the Reservoirs Act (Northern Ireland) 2015
Agreed: To write to the Department to request a summary of reservoirs in Northern Ireland that are privately owned.
7. Correspondence
Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to the Committee’s correspondence requesting further information on the cessation of the maintenance of street lighting on unadopted roads.
Agreed: To write to the Department:
- to seek further detail of any assessment it has undertaken to assess the risk to public safety arising removal of street lighting infrastructure at the location specified;
- to ascertain the precise nature of the infrastructure that has been deemed to be insufficient; and
- to request its assessment of the cost of maintaining and upgrading street lighting infrastructure that has not been adopted by the Department.
Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to the Committee’s correspondence requesting further detail on the collaboration that is being undertaken with Translink in respect of providing free travel to those on a half-fare concession.
Agreed: To note and await the financial data referenced in the response.
Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to the Committee’s correspondence requesting an update on the Department’s legislative proposals that are expected to be advanced within the remainder of the current Assembly mandate.
Agreed: To note and consider when planning the Committee’s Forward Work Programme.
Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to the Committee’s correspondence regarding the recognition of Israeli driving licences in Northern Ireland.
Agreed: To write to the original correspondent enclosing the response from the Minister for information.
Correspondence from the Department for Infrastructure extending an invitation for a site visit in the context of the Eastern Transport Plan.
Agreed: That Members should notify the Clerk should they wish to attend.
Correspondence from the Committee of Finance - Management of the Vote on Account as agreed in the Budget Act (NI) 2026;
Agreed: To write to the Department for Infrastructure for its assessment on whether it is at risk of exceeding the approved totals under the Vote on Account.
The Committee noted the following items of correspondence:
- Call for Evidence from the Committee for the Economy for the Utility Regulator (Support for Decarbonisation Preparation) Bill;
- Call for Evidence from the Committee for the Economy for the Petroleum Exploration and Licensing (Repeal) Bill;
- Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to Committee correspondence requesting the Department’s view on the potential introduction of the Electric Vehicle Excise Duty following the British Government consultation;
- Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to Committee correspondence providing the Multi Agency Severe Weather Framework;
- Copy correspondence from ChargeUK in relation to the application of Business Rates to public EV charging infrastructure in Northern Ireland;
- Copy correspondence to the House of Lords regarding the amending several vehicle related EU regulations related to the working patterns for drivers of commercial goods and passenger vehicles, and the testing and type-approval of vehicles; and
- Copy of the Independent Autism Reviewer for Northern Ireland Annual Report from Sept 2024 – March 2026.
Mr Maolíosa McHugh MLA left the meeting at 12:09 pm.
8. SL1 – The Green Road, Conlig (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026 – Initial Consideration
The Committee noted correspondence from the Minister for Infrastructure in which she requests that the Committee considers foregoing its ‘Call for Evidence’ under the Assembly’s revised procedure for handling subordinate legislation.
The Committee considered the SL1 – The Green Road, Conlig (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026.
Mr Maolíosa McHugh rejoined the meeting at 12:11 pm.
Agreed: To note receipt of the SL1 and the proposed Statutory Rule, which will be published as part of the call for views.
Agreed: That the SL1 will be considered at the meeting on 10 June 2026.
Agreed: That they are content that a briefing from officials is not required at this stage.
9. SL1 – The Grants to Water and Sewerage Undertakers Order (Northern Ireland) 2027 – Initial Consideration
The Committee considered the SL1 – The Grants to Water and Sewerage Undertakers Order (Northern Ireland) 2027.
Agreed: To note receipt of the SL1 and the proposed Statutory Rule, which will be published as part of the call for views.
Agreed: That the SL1 will be considered at the meeting on 10 June 2026.
Agreed: That evidence from departmental officials will be scheduled at a suitable date in the Forward Work Programme.
10. SL1 – The Roads (Speed Limit) (No.2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026 – Initial Consideration
The Committee considered the SL1 – The Roads (Speed Limit) (No.2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026.
Agreed: To note receipt of the SL1 and the proposed Statutory Rule, which will be published as part of the call for views.
Agreed: That the SL1 will be considered at the meeting on 10 June 2026.
Agreed: That they are content that a briefing from officials is not required at this stage.
11. SR 2026-79 The Motor Vehicles (Exchangeable Licences) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026
The Committee considered the SR 2026-79 The Motor Vehicles (Exchangeable Licences) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026.
Mr Stephen Dunne MLA left the meeting at 12:21 pm.
Agreed: That the Committee for Infrastructure has considered SR 2026-79 The Motor Vehicles (Exchangeable Licences) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026 and has no objection to the rule.
12. SR 2026-80 The Planning (General Permitted Development) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026
The Committee considered the SR 2026-80 The Planning (General Permitted Development) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026.
Agreed: That the Committee for Infrastructure has considered SR 2026-80 The Planning (General Permitted Development) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026 and has no objection to the rule.
13. Developer Contributions for Wastewater Infrastructure - Department for Infrastructure – Oral Evidence
The departmental officials joined the meeting at 12:23 pm.
- Ms Alison Clydesdale, Director of Water and Drainage Policy, Department for Infrastructure;
- Ms Kiera Lloyd, Director of Corporate Strategy and Performance, Department for Infrastructure;
- Ms Adele Watters, Head of Programme for Government (PfG) and Performance Branch, Department for Infrastructure.
Mr John Stewart MLA left the meeting at 12:24 pm.
Mr Stephen Dunne MLA re-joined the meeting at 12:25 pm
The Committee agreed that the evidence is recorded by Hansard.
A question and answer session followed.
The departmental officials left the meeting at 1:22 pm.
Agreed: To write to the Department to seek further detail on the £15 million Transformation Fund project located in the Belfast Hills and to receive a copy of the bid submitted by Northern Ireland Water to the Department for the £27 million project in Newry.
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 and to reflect to any changes agreed during the meeting.
15. Any Other Business
None.
16. Date, Time and Place of next meeting
The next Committee meeting will be on Wednesday, 20 May 2026 at 10:00 am in Room 29, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:26 pm.
Mr Peter Martin
Chairperson, Committee for Infrastructure
20 May 2026
