Environment Committee to visit Northern Ireland to discuss water, planning and waste management issues

Committee Cathaoirleach Ciarán Lynch, TD said: “We are looking forward to our meeting with colleagues in the Northern Ireland Assembly. The purpose of visit is to discuss a range of issues of mutual interest, including water provision, planning regulations, waste management and the arts.

Our meeting with the Committee for Regional Development in Northern Ireland will provide us with an overview of water provision in Northern Ireland, including regulation, charges, infrastructural improvements and the role and functions of Northern Water.

This Committee has just concluded a lengthy series of meetings with stakeholders and interested parties in the water sector. These engagements and our discussions tomorrow with our counterparts in Northern Ireland will help inform the Committee’s report on the water sector which will put forward proposals to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.

Among the other issues we will discuss with members of our counterpart committee in Northern Ireland are: planning regulations with a special emphasis on the possibility of adopting a joint approach to retail and industrial outlets; waste management infrastructure; management of used tyres; and the climate change act.

We will also be meeting with the Northern Ireland Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure to discuss creative industries and utilising the arts to combat disadvantage among the young, the old and the socially disadvantaged and to encourage their greater integration and social inclusion within local communities.

While the visit gives us an opportunity to look at the work of counterpart committees, it will also allow us to see where the Oireachtas and the Northern Ireland Assembly can share recommendations on a range of issues.”

Members of the Committee travelling are: Ciarán Lynch, James Bannon, Noel Coonan, Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, Dessie Ellis, Tony Mc Loughlin, Gerald Nash and Senator Catherine Noone.

For further information please contact:

Ciaran Brennan,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 3903
M: 086-0496518
F: +3531 618 4551

Notes to the editor:

JOINT COMMITTEE MEETING TO BELFAST IN JANUARY 2012

26 January 2011

11.00 AM Arrive in Parliament Buildings

11.00 PM Meet with Mr William Hay MLA, Speaker of the Assembly

11.30 AM Meeting with NI Committee for Regional Development to discuss:-

1. Ireland Water provision including the regulations in operation in the North of Ireland with regard to charges, infrastructural improvements and the role and functioning of Northern Water;

Please Note that the Committee for Regional Development has arranged that officials from the Department of Regional Development will provide a short overview of water provision at the beginning of the meeting, followed by a short briefing from the Utility Regulator whose responsibilities include regulation of the water and sewerage industry in NI.
 
1.00 PM Lunch hosted by the Committee for Regional Development (Chairperson and / or Deputy Chairperson of Committee for Environment may also attend)

2.30 PM Meeting with NI Committee for Environment to discuss:-

1. Planning regulations with a special emphasis on the possibility of adopting a joint approach to retail and industrial outlets;

2. Management of used tyres;

3. Waste management infrastructure;

4. Climate change act.
 
3.30 PM Break

4.00 PM Meeting with NI Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure to discuss:-

1. Creative Industries;

2. Utilising the Arts to combat disadvantage among the young, the old and the socially disadvantaged and to encourage their greater integration and social inclusion within local communities

5.00 PM Tour of Parliament Buildings

6.00 PM Book into Stormont Hotel.

27 January 2011 9.30 AM 

9.30 AM Visit to and meeting with Chief Executive Officer of Northern Ireland Water
 
1.00 PM. Lunch

2.30 PM Depart Belfast

Committee Membership
Deputies:
Ciarán Lynch, Labour Party (Chairman)
Noel Coonan, Fine Gael (Vice-Chairman)
James Bannon, Fine Gael
Paudie Coffey, Fine Gael
Terence Flanagan, Fine Gael
Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, Fine Gael
Tony McLoughlin, Fine Gael
Patrick O’Donovan, Fine Gael
Brian Walsh, Fine Gael
Kevin Humphreys, Labour Party
Gerald Nash, Labour Party
Seán Kenny, Labour Party
Robert Troy, Fianna Fáil
Timmy Dooley, Fianna Fáil
Niall Collins, Fianna Fáil
Sandra McLellan, Sinn Féin
Dessie Ellis, Sinn Féin
Brian Stanley, Sinn Féin
Clare Daly, Socialist Party
Catherine Murphy, Independent
Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan, Independent

Senators:
Cáit Keane, Fine Gael
Catherine Noone, Fine Gael
Labhrás Ó’Murchú, Fianna Fáil
Ned O’Sullivan, Fianna Fáil
Eamonn Coghlan, Independent