Committee for Infrastructure

Minutes of Proceedings - 25 February 2026

Committee for Infrastructure - 25 February 2026.pdf (215.8 kb)

Meeting Location: Room 29, Parliament Buildings, Stormont, Belfast

Present:

Mr Peter Martin MLA (Chairperson)

Mr John Stewart MLA (Deputy Chairperson)

Mr Harry Harvey MLA

Mr Stephen Dunne MLA

Mr Andrew McMurray MLA

Mr Justin McNulty MLA

Mr Peter McReynolds MLA

Mr Cathal Boylan MLA

Mr Maolíosa McHugh 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 10:00 am in public session.

1. Apologies

As above.

2. Declaration of Interests

Mr Cathal Boylan MLA declared an interest as having a family member who is employed by the Department for Infrastructure.

3. Minister for Infrastructure – Departmental Update and Current Issues

The following departmental officials joined the meeting at 10:02 am.

Mrs Liz Kimmins MLA, Minister for Infrastructure; and
Mr Declan McGeown, Interim Permanent Secretary, Department for Infrastructure.

The Committee agreed that the evidence is recorded by Hansard.

A question and answer session followed.

The departmental officials left the meeting at 11:51 am

The Committee suspended at 11:52 pm.

The Committee recommenced at 12:02 pm with following Members present:

Mr Peter Martin MLA (Chairperson)

Mr John Stewart MLA (Deputy Chairperson)

Mr Harry Harvey MLA

Mr Stephen Dunne MLA

Mr Andrew McMurray MLA

Mr Justin McNulty MLA

Mr Cathal Boylan MLA

Mr Maolíosa McHugh MLA

4. Chairperson’s Business

The Chairperson informed members of correspondence that he had received in respect of diplomatic parking bays and undertook to provide the correspondence for the Committee’s consideration.

5. Draft Minutes

Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday, 18 February 2026.

6. Matters Arising

The Committee considered a draft response to the Committee for Finance reflecting the issues considered from the written evidence on the Draft Budget 2026-29/30.

Agreed: To forward the response to the Committee for Finance.

The Committee considered a Clerk’s brief reflecting outcomes from its last meeting on the Active Travel Delivery Plan.

Agreed: To write to the Department for Infrastructure summarising the Committee’s views of the Active Travel Delivery Plan reflecting the Committee’s preference for an independent Chairperson.

7. Correspondence

Response from the Minister for Infrastructure to the Committee request for further information on the Department’s assessment of the unfunded pay pressure of £2.1m.

Agreed: To write to the Department seeking further detail on the high profile schemes and the enhanced road recovery programme fund as referenced in the response.

Agreed: To write to the Departmenttoseek clarity on whethermonies allocated by DfI for spending this year will be fully spent and won’t be impeded by resourcing or staffing constraints.

Correspondence from the Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (CAERA) on a potential concurrent meeting to receive evidence from Northern Ireland Water on the Lough Neagh Action Plan and the Planning Statutory Consultee Forum.

Agreed: To confirm that the Committee is content with a CAERA-led concurrent meeting to receive oral evidence from Northern Ireland Water on the Lough Neagh Action Plan and the Planning Statutory Consultee Forum.

Correspondence from Translink offering to provide oral evidence to the Committee in respect of the Draft Budget 2026-2030.

Agreed: To schedule oral evidence from Translink at an appropriate date in the Forward Work Programme.

Peter McReynolds MLA joined the meeting at 12:09 pm.

A response from the Minister for Infrastructure to Committee correspondence regarding the Department’s response to Storm Chandra.

Agreed: To write to the Department for Infrastructure to seek a list of the partner organisations as referenced in the Minister’s response and to highlight that, despite the major response plan being initiated, the Committee’s concern related to the real time communications and how they were disseminated to elected representatives, resilience groups and the wider public.

Agreed: To write to the Department for Infrastructure to ask whether resource or staffing constraints may impede the spending of the £2.5 million for road maintenance announced by the Minister.

The Committee noted the following items of correspondence:

Response to Committee request for quarterly updates on the Translink Nightmover service;
Response to Committee request for detail on work being undertaken by the Department to ensure the safety of pedestrians and cyclists, particularly to prevent road traffic accidents involving heavy good vehicles;
Correspondence regarding the lack of signage along the footpaths of the Broughshane Rd, Ballymena; and
Response to Committee request following evidence session on barriers faced by telecommunications in relation to planning.

8. Budget - Budget Sustainability – Department for Infrastructure – Written Evidence

The Committee considered a written submission from the Department for Infrastructure on its Five-Year Budget Sustainability Plan 2025-30.

Agreed: To schedule oral evidence from departmental officials at a suitable date in the Forward Work Programme.

9. Spring Supplementary Estimates – Department for Infrastructure – Written Evidence

The Committee considered written evidence from the Department for Infrastructure on Spring Supplementary Estimates (SSEs).

Members noted the period of time that had elapsed between the accompanying memorandum being signed off and date of receipt by the Committee.

Agreed: To write to the Minister to seek an explanation for the late receipt of the SSEs memorandum on 18 February 2026 when taking into account this was electronically signed by the Permanent Secretary on 5 February 2026.

The Committee moved into closed session at 12:23 pm.

10. Legal Advice - Practices of private car parking companies in relation to the recovering of unpaid car parking charges

The Committee considered legal advice from Assembly Legal Services regarding the practices of private car parking operators.

The Committee moved into open session at 12:46 pm

Agreed: To write to the Department for Infrastructure to seek detail on what work it is undertaking to provide strengthened regulation of private car park operators in Northern Ireland.

Agreed: That the Clerk is to explore potential options with the Assembly’s Research and Information Service on the scope for improvements within the existing planning system.

11. SL1 – The Parking and Waiting Restrictions (Belfast) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026

The Committee considered the SL1 - The Parking and Waiting Restrictions (Belfast) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026.

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

12. SL1 – The Road Races (Croft Hill Climb) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026

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

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

13. SL1 – The Waiting Restrictions (Comber) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026

The Committee considered the SL1 – The Waiting Restrictions (Comber) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026.

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

14. SL1 – The Waiting Restrictions (Clogher) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026

The Committee considered the SL1 – The Waiting Restrictions (Clogher) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026.

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

15. SL1 – The Waiting Restrictions (Coalisland) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026

The Committee considered the SL1 – The Waiting Restrictions (Coalisland) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026.

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

16. SL1 – The Road Races (Drumhorc Hill Climb) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026

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