Committee for Infrastructure

Minutes of Proceedings - 20 May 2026

Committee for Infrastructure - 20 May 2026.pdf (217.39 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 Harry Harvey MLA

Mr Andrew McMurray MLA

Mr Peter McReynolds MLA

Mr Maolíosa McHugh MLA

Mrs Sinéad Ennis MLA

Via Video Conferencing: Mr Justin McNulty MLA

Apologies: None

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 10:02 am in public session.

1. Apologies

As above.

The Chairperson thanked Mr Cathal Boylan MLA for his service to the Committee.

The Chairperson welcomed Mrs Sinead Ennis MLA to the Committee.

2. Declaration of Interests

None.

3. Chairperson’s Business

The Chairperson advised Members that he had attended the launch of the Belfast Harbour Masterplan 2025-2050.

4. Draft Minutes

Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday, 13 May 2026.

Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the joint concurrent meeting with the Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs held on Tuesday, 21 April 2026.

5. Matters Arising

None.

6. Correspondence

Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to the Committee’s correspondence in respect of the resource requirements of statutory consultees within the Department and its Arms-Length Bodies.

Agreed: To write to the Department to seek further detail on the number vacant posts and the impact these are having on the Department’s ability to achieve targets as statutory consultees and for detail on the percentage of responses within the required timescale for each departmental business area.

Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to the Committee’s correspondence requesting further detail in the Department’s use of Reclaimed Asphalt Planings (RAP).

Agreed: To write to the Minister asking:

what consideration is being given to introduce a policy for the usage of RAP;
for a response to the Committee’s previous request for an assessment of the impact on the carbon neutrality of the A5 project due to the lack of use of RAP; and
for the Department’s assessment of why RAP is commonly used in the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain but not in Northern Ireland.

Agreed: To forward a copy of the Minister’s response to Northstone for information.

Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to the Committee’s correspondence relating to the collation of data in respect of the pilot scheme for taxis to use bus lanes.

Agreed: To write to the Department seeking the indicative timescales for the commencement and completion of the monitoring exercise as part of the pilot.

Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to the Committee’s correspondence on the delivery of the York Street Interchange project.

Agreed: To write to the Minister to seek a summary of the options for alternative funding for the York Street Interchange Project as referenced in her response and to seek detail of the £26 million spending that has been incurred to date.

Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to the Committee’s correspondence in respect of the role of utility companies within the Draft Road Maintenance Strategy.

Agreed: To write to the Minister to confirm that the Committee is content to support the draft strategy, on the basis that it’s concerns, along with those raised by respondents to the consultation, will be reflected in the final version of the strategy.

Mr Andrew McMurray MLA left the meeting at 10:26 am.

Correspondence from the Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) regarding proposed legislation to prohibit motor vehicles of all types from parking on pedestrian pavements and footpaths.

Agreed: To write to the Department seeking a response to MAG’s correspondence and to request a summary of the evidence base used to determine excluding motorcycles from pavement parking.

Mr Andrew McMurray MLA re-joined the meeting at 10:29 am.

Correspondence from Indaver requesting to provide evidence to the Committee in respect of the arc21 Residual Waste Treatment Project and Northern Ireland’s Strategic Waste Infrastructure.

Agreed: That the Clerk liaises with the Clerk to the Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to identify the appropriate committee to consider the correspondence.

The Committee noted the following items of correspondence:

Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to the Committee’s correspondence in respect of the remaining work and associated timescales for the completion of works at Maydown Bridge, Benburb.

7. SL1 – The Road Races (Cairncastle Hill Climb) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026 – Formal Consideration

The Committee considered the SL1 – The Road Races (Cairncastle Hill Climb) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026.