ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FORUM
MEETING OF INFRASTRUCTURE SUB-GROUP
HELD AT 2.00PM ON MONDAY 20 NOVEMBER 2006
Present:
Jim McCusker – Chairman
John Gilliland
John Keanie
Janice Treacy
Doreen Brown
Apologies:
Peter McNaney
Michael Brennan
1. NOTE OF PREVIOUS MEETING
1.1
The note of the previous meeting, held on 17 August,
was agreed without change.
2.
MATTERS
ARISING
2.1
Membership
of Sub-group: It was agreed that an additional member should be
invited to join the Sub-group. John
Gilliland would provide contact details.
2.2
Construction
Sector Capacity Study: Oversight of the Action Plan
associated with the study was the responsibility of OFMDFM. An update on the status of the Action Plan
had recently been issued as part of a planned series. This would be considered by the Sub-group.
2.3
ISNI:
ISNI 2 was currently being developed, presumably taking account of any
re-profiling needed. The Sub-group
agreed that it would be preferable for the EDF to be involved in consideration
of the draft ISNI 2 at an early stage.
2.4
There were concerns about the extent of underspend by some Departments on capital budgets. It was possible that this was linked to the
capacity of the public sector to deliver capital projects. It was disappointing that the Public Sector
Skills Study was still not available.
The Sub-group would urge that the highest priority should be given to
completing the Study.
2.5
Regional
Economic Strategy: Redrafting was understood to be continuing, and
there could still be some scope for revision.
The Sub-group would have concerns if the next draft to be seen by EDF was
still incomplete in terms of targets.
3.
ACII
& ISNI
3.1
John Keanie outlined the
role of the ACII and the links between that and the roles of EDF and the
Infrastructure Sub-group. The ACII had
been set up in 2004, with representation from a wide range of interests, to
advise the Minister on matters relating to Infrastructure and to relate to the
SIB. Its first Annual Review had
highlighted a number of areas of concern which had been
listened to and which were reflected in ISNI. The second Review was currently being
completed.
3.2
Issues which were relevant were:
o
How to specify social deliverables and build them
into the process;
o
The importance of regional and historical disparities;
o
The lack of skills in programme management;
o
The need for better communication of ISNI;
o
The role of SIB in relation to Departments;
o
Monitoring of implementation;
o
The impact of the CSR.
3.3
There was complementarity
between the role of ACII and that of the Infrastructure Sub-group and EDF,
without overlap or duplication of resources.
ACII was focussed, at this stage, on process, whereas EDF and the
Sub-group were concerned with outcomes.
3.4
The Sub-group recognised the importance of ISNI and
its implementation to
4.
RFL
4.1
The report from the RFL, which had been circulated
to Sub-group members, had been commissioned by DFP and DETI as a scrutiny of
the economic indicators. The
infrastructure themes/indicators were comparatively weak, and further
consideration was needed.
4.2
Broadband – the Sub-group agreed that, while access
to Broadband was at 100%, in some parts of the rural community this had been
achieved by wireless connections which were slow. These wireless connections should be a
stop-gap measure, with the aim being to provide full access at a good quality.
4.3
An indicator was needed for the use of Broadband as
opposed to its provision. This should be
measured in NI even though the
4.4
Measurement of modal shift away from private car
travel to public and other forms of transport would be required.
4.5
The Sub-group was not convinced of the merits of
having an indicator of average road speed for NI as a whole unless road speeds
on the individual road corridors were also readily available.
4.6
The Sub-group noted that a review of the Regional
Transportation Strategy was expected to take place in 2007. This would provide an opportunity for
adjustments to be made to address areas where progress was giving cause for
concern.
5.
ANY
OTHER BUSINESS
5.1
The Sub-group would produce a report for the next
EDF meeting, drawing on the discussions above.
5.2
The next meeting of the Sub-group would be held on
16 January at 10am in
o
David Gavaghan – to
discuss the implementation of ISNI and the preparation of ISNI 2;
o
DHSSPS and DE – to discuss issues which affected
the delivery of major capital projects;
o
Iain Osborne (OFREG) – to discuss issues relating
to the development of a single energy market in the