Committee for Infrastructure

Minutes of Proceedings - 22 April 2026

Committee for Infrastructure - 22 April 2026.pdf (229.47 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

Via Video Conferencing:

Mr Maolíosa McHugh MLA

Mr Justin McNulty MLA

Apologies:

Mr Cathal Boylan 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 10:05 am in closed session.

1. Apologies

As above.

2. Declaration of Interests

None.

3. Water, Sustainable Drainage and Flood Management Bill - Consideration of Legal Advice

The Examiner of Statutory Rules joined the meeting at 10:08 am.

Angela Kelly, Examiner of Statutory Rules

A question and answer session followed.

Maoliosa McHugh MLA joined the meeting at 10:19 am.

The Examiner of Statutory Rules left the meeting at 10:54 am.

4. Water, Sustainable Drainage and Flood Management Bill - Consideration of Evidence

The Committee gave its initial consideration the key issues arising in the course of its scrutiny of the Bill.

Agreed: To write to the Minister for Infrastructure seeking a response to:

The Committee’s concern regarding the provisions within the Bill as introduced around the lack clarity around the scope of the offences that would be considered by the Department when making regulations under Clause 3 (3) (2); and
to highlight the Committee’s views that, when establishing a body, it considers that the Bill and accompanying Explanatory and Financial Memorandum (EFM) should contain more detailed provisions and information on the role, functions and composition including how it will be resourced and governed when discharging its functions.

John Stewart MLA left the meeting at 11:09 am.

Andrew McMurray MLA left the meeting at 11:09 am.

The Committee moved into public session at 11:09 am.

5. Chairperson’s Business

The Chairperson highlighted to Members a recent media article relating a delay to progress of the York Street Interchange project by the Department for Infrastructure.

John Stewart MLA re-joined the meeting at 11:11 am

Andrew McMurray MLA re-joined the meeting at 11:11 am.

Agreed: To write to the Minister for Infrastructure to seek an update on:

the delivery of the York Street Interchange project, including the priority attributed to its delivery, the associated timescales for delivery and any potential barriers to its progression; and
a breakdown for each financial year of the costs incurred and works undertaken to date.

6. Draft Minutes

Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday, 22 April 2026.

7. Matters Arising

The Committee discussed the recent oral evidence arising from the joint concurrent meeting with the Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs on 21 April 2026.

Agreed: To write to the Department to request an overview of the resource requirements of statutory consultees within the Department and its Arms-Length Bodies to meet the timescales for responses.

8. Correspondence

Correspondence from the Department for Infrastructure providing the Belfast City Centre – Monitoring and Evaluation Dashboards – Dec 25 – Mar 26 Quarterly Summary.

Agreed: To write to the Minister for Infrastructure to request that the reports continue to be provided on a monthly basis and to seek the Department’s rationale of why it does not collate data to evaluate the effectiveness of the initiative to permit the use of bus lanes by taxis.

Correspondence from the Department for Infrastructure providing a quarterly update on the progress of the associated actions in the Department’s action plan on the O&M Resilience Review and Strategic Action Plan (SAP)

Agreed: To note and consider for a future oral evidence session with the new Permanent Secretary.

Copy correspondence from the Department for Infrastructure to the Committee for the Executive Office regarding the Armed Forces Covenant.

Agreed: To write to the Minister seeking clarification on why the Department has no agreed position on the Armed Forces Covenant, and to identify any work the Department has undertaken, or is currently undertaking, on this matter.

Correspondence from the Committee for Communities regarding the proposed concurrent meeting to facilitate a cross-departmental briefing on the Sustainable Places Programme on 21 May 2026 at 10am in Parliament Buildings.

Agreed: That the Clerk liaises with the relevant clerks to the Committees for Communities and Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to examine available options.

Invitation from Translink to Committee Members to the Ceremonial Signing of the Contract for the purchase of New Enterprise Trains.

Agreed: That individual Members will confirm their own attendance should they wish to attend.

Correspondence from Northstone Ltd relating to the review of standards governing the use of Reclaimed Asphalt Plannings (RAP).

Agreed: To forward the correspondence to the Department requesting further detail on the Department’s policy regarding the use of RAP and to seek its assessment of the impact that RAP could have had to supporting climate change commitments towards the delivery of the A5 project.

The Committee noted the following items of correspondence:

Correspondence from the House of Lords relating to the technical requirements and testing procedures for motor vehicles and to repealing Council Directive 70/157/EEC and Regulation 540/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council;
Copy of correspondence from the Department for Infrastructure to the Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs providing of written evidence on the Planning Statutory Consultee Forum; and
Correspondence from the Department for Infrastructure providing an update on the implementation of the recommendations arising from the review of Trust Ports and the associated next steps.

9. SL1 – The Parking Places (Disabled Persons’ Vehicles) (Amendment No. 2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026 – Formal Consideration

The Committee considered the SL1 – The Parking Places (Disabled Persons’ Vehicles) (Amendment No. 2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026.

Agreed: The Committee was content with the proposal for the Statutory Rule.

10. SL1 – The Roads (Speed Limit) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026 – Formal Consideration

The Committee considered the SL1 – The Roads (Speed Limit) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026.

Agreed: The Committee was content with the proposal for the Statutory Rule.

11. SL1 – The Schools (Part-Time 20mph Speed Limit) (Amendment No. 2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026 – Formal Consideration

The Committee considered the SL1 – The Schools (Part-Time 20mph Speed Limit) (Amendment No. 2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026.

Agreed: The Committee was content with the proposal for the Statutory Rule.

12. SL1 – The Comber Road, Dundonald (Abandonment and Stopping-Up) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026 – Formal Consideration

The Committee considered the SL1 – The Comber Road, Dundonald (Abandonment and Stopping-Up) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026.

Agreed: The Committee was content with the proposal for the Statutory Rule.

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

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