Committee for Infrastructure

Minutes of proceedings 24 June 2026

Committee for Infrastructure minutes of proceedings 24 June 2026.pdf (209.07 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 Andrew McMurray MLA

Mr Maolíosa McHugh MLA

Mr Harry Harvey MLA

Mr Peter McReynolds MLA

Via Video Conferencing:

Mr Justin McNulty MLA

Mrs Sinéad Ennis MLA

In Attendance:

Mr Michael Potter (Assembly Clerk)

Ms Aoife Keating-Fitzpatrick (Senior Assistant Clerk)

Mr Philip Pateman (Assistant Assembly Clerk)

Mr Oliver Briant (Clerical Officer)

The meeting commenced at 10:02 am in closed session.

1. Implementation of the Reservoirs Act (Northern Ireland) 2015 – Assembly Legal Services – Oral Briefing

The Committee considered legal advice and were briefed by Assembly Legal Services on the potential implications arising from the further implementation of provisions contained within the Reservoirs Act (Northern Ireland) 2015.

The following Assembly official joined the meeting at 10:03 am:

Htaik Win, Assembly Legal Services.

A question and answer session followed.

The official left the meeting at 10:30 am.

Agreed: To commission further legal advice to further clarify the legal duties of trustees, committee members and board members under the proposed statutory regime.

Agreed: That the Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson and, subject to the availability of other Members, will seek to meet informally with the Ulster Angling Federation during the summer recess.

The meeting entered public session at 10:44 am.

2. Apologies

As above.

3. Declaration of Interests

None.

4. Chairperson’s Business

None.

5. Draft Minutes

Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday, 17 June 2026.

Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday, 23 June 2026.

6. Matters Arising

None.

7. Correspondence

Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to the Committee’s correspondence requesting an update regarding the road signage and speed limit on a section of dual carriageway section on the A26 Frosses Road at Station Road.

Agreed: To note and forward response to the original correspondent.

Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to the Committee’s correspondence seeking an assessment of the impact on service delivery from the contingency planning envelopes in the absence of an agreed Budget for 2026-27.

Agreed: To write to the Minister to establish what specific actions she is undertaking to agree a draft budget and for her to outline the implications on the delivery of public services and capital projects should a budget not be agreed.

Response from the Minister for Infrastructure regarding the timescale for the consideration of the planning application in relation to the Residual Waste Disposal Facility, Mallusk.

Agreed: To write to the Department to seek clarity on the number of judicial reviews that have been submitted in respect of this planning application.

Correspondence from the Committee for Finance providing the recent public expenditure outturn and forecast data.

Agreed: To write to the Department seeking further detail on the reasons for underspend in relation to the PeacePlus funding and the Consolidated Fund Extra Receipt (CFER).

Report from the Northern Ireland Audit Office on Flood Risk Management in Northern Ireland – June 2026.

The Committee noted that the Public Accounts Committee has not considered whether it intends to undertake an inquiry on the content of the Northern Ireland Audit Office report and therefore, primacy still applies until it has been formally disposed of.

Sustainability Report from the Northern Ireland Fiscal Council.

Agreed: To write to the Department for details of the Department’s savings plans.

Correspondence from a member of the public highlighting concerns around the funding of the community transport sector.

Agreed: To write to the Department to ascertain the approach for funding community transport in the absence of an agreed budget and the current status of the Phase 2 Community Transport review.

The Committee noted the following items of correspondence:

Correspondence from the Committee for Finance providing updates from the Department of Finance on cashflow forecast and spend profiles.
Response from the Minister to Committee correspondence requesting an assessment of the content and findings of the NIAO report on the Planning Appeals Commission in the context of the wider planning system.
Copy of a reply from the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY) regarding the consistency and effectiveness of Child Rights Impact Assessments (CRIAs) and Equality Impact Assessments (EQIAs).
Copy of the Minutes from the Joint Concurrent Meeting on Shaping Sustainable Places.
Copy correspondence to the Minister for Infrastructure regarding the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls framework.
Correspondence from the House of Lords Northern Ireland Scrutiny Committee regarding the amending of EU Regulation in relation to energy consumption monitoring devices and requirements and procedures for secure access to on-board diagnostic information.
Correspondence from the House of Lords Northern Ireland Scrutiny Committee regarding the amending of EU Regulation in relation to the electric safety and advanced driver distraction warning requirements for vehicles produced in small series and special purpose vehicles.
Pivotal report – Improving the institutions: suggested reforms to the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive.
Copy correspondence from the Department for Communities to IMTAC regarding the Disability Strategy for Northern Ireland.
Invitation to stakeholder event exploring the growing impact of Northern Ireland’s wastewater infrastructure constraints.

8. Water, Sustainable Drainage and Flood Management Bill – Formal Clause-by-Clause Scrutiny

The Committee agreed that the session be recorded by Hansard.

The Committee undertook the formal clause-by-clause scrutiny of the Bill.

Clause 1 – Water use: temporary bans

The Committee considered Clause 1 as drafted.

Agreed: The Committee was content with Clause 1 subject to the proposed departmental amendment to include “social media” in the means of advertising a Temporary Use Ban in Clauses 116(b)(2) and (5).

Clause 2 – Sustainable drainage systems: regulations

The Committee considered Clause 2 as drafted.

Agreed: That the Committee would reserve its position on Clause 2 until the text of the amendment(s) proposed by the Department is received.

Clause 3 – Section 2: supplementary

The Committee considered Clause 3 as drafted.

Agreed: That the Committee would reserve its position on Clause 3 until the text of the amendment(s) proposed by the Department is received.

Clause 4 – Meaning of “sustainable drainage systems”

The Committee considered Clause 4 as drafted.

Agreed: The Committee was content with Clause 4 as drafted.

Clause 5 – Structural sustainable drainage systems (consequential amendment)

The Committee considered Clause 5 as drafted.

Agreed: The Committee was content with Clause 5 of the Bill as drafted.

Clause 6 - Flood protection grants: domestic buildings

The Committee considered Clause 6 as drafted.

Agreed: The Committee was content with Clause 6 subject to the proposed departmental amendment that the regulations made under Clause 6(6) be made under the draft affirmative procedure.

Clause 7 – Flood risk: assessment and management

The Committee considered Clause 7 as drafted.

Agreed: The Committee was content with Clause 7 as drafted.

Clause 8 – Drainage works: environmental impact assessment

The Committee considered Clause 8 as drafted.

Agreed: The Committee was content with Clause 8 as drafted.

Clause 9 – Scope of regulations under sections 7 and 8

The Committee considered Clause 9 as drafted.

Agreed: The Committee was content with Clause 9 as drafted.

Clause 10 – Registration of Article 161 agreements

The Committee considered Clause 10 as drafted.

Agreed: The Committee was content with Clause 10 as drafted.

Clause 11 – Unlawful sewer communications: remedies

The Committee considered Clause 11 as drafted.

Agreed: The Committee was content with Clause 11 as drafted.

Clause 12 – Adoption by sewerage undertaker: removal of restriction

The Committee considered Clause 12 as drafted.

Agreed: The Committee was content with Clause 12 as drafted.

Clause 13 – Supplementary, incidental, consequential, transitional provision etc.

The Committee considered Clause 13 as drafted.

Agreed: The Committee was content with Clause 13 as drafted.

Clause 14 – Interpretation

The Committee considered Clause 14 as drafted.

Agreed: The Committee was content with Clause 14 as drafted.

Clause 15 - Commencement

The Committee considered Clause 15 as drafted.

Agreed: That the Committee would reserve its position on Clause 15 until the text of the amendment proposed by the Department is received.

Clause 16 – Short title

Agreed: The Committee was content with Clause 16 as drafted.

Schedule

The Committee considered the schedule as drafted.

Agreed: The Committee was content with the Schedule as drafted.

9. SL1 – The Upper Dunmurry Lane, Belfast (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026 – Formal Consideration

The Committee considered The Upper Dunmurry Lane, Belfast (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026.

Sinead Ennis MLA left the meeting at 11:10 am.

Stephen Dunne MLA left the meeting at 11:10 am.

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