Danny Kennedy
Newry and Armagh · Ulster Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“<BR /> <BR />I know the circumstances that we are in, but my hope is that departmental officials will continue to explore these issues and find solutions so that, at the earliest point, those solutions can be delivered to my constituency and to the people who have such frustration with the lack of service.”
“This situation is also prevalent in other rural areas of Northern Ireland. People in areas such as Lissummon, Ballygorman, Cladymilltown, Altnamackan, Loughgall, Mullaghglass and countless others, unfortunately, all of which are located in my constituency, find themselves in a position currently where they are provided with little or no e…”
“I, with others, receive regular contact from my constituents on this issue. It is abundantly clear from the representations that I receive that the lack of broadband provision, particularly in rural areas, impacts in many ways on families and businesses that reside in various locations across the constituency.”
“Madam Principal Deputy Speaker, I thank you and the Business Committee for affording me the opportunity to debate the issue of broadband provision directly relating to my constituency of Newry and Armagh. I also place on record my good wishes to you as you leave the House, and I wish you well for the future.”
“The lack of high-quality broadband, for instance, has an impact on the ability of many rural businesses to function efficiently, placing them clearly at a disadvantage to other competitors in their particular field.”
“I could continue to detail many more circumstances, but I want other Members to contribute and to hear what the Minister has to say. I take this opportunity to make an impassioned plea to the Minister to pursue, within a quick time frame, the network improvements that are so clearly required.”
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“I am somewhat concerned that the Member would find it OK that any road would suffer from a lack of maintenance. We are trying to manage a very difficult situation. We want to try to minimise any reduction in front-line services, but it is simply not possible. I repeat that: when we are talking about a projected cutback of £65 million for next year in the draft Budget, it is simply not possible to protect all front-line services. There will be challenges, and difficult choices have to be made. I say respectfully to the Member that he should use his influence in a positive way by consulting his Executive colleagues to support the reduction of impact on my budget, given that he is so evidently concerned about the necessary cutbacks and savings that are being forced upon me.”
“I do not have the available figures, but, if the Member wishes to write to me on the issue, I will provide a full answer.”
“I am grateful to the Member for her question. All aspects of the Budget are given consideration, including that relating to NI Water. Of course, as the Member will know, NI Water principally receives its funding from the Department and therefore from the taxpayer. All that is then reinvested in NI Water as a going concern.”
“I do hope that other Members realise the political pressure that is applied to me by colleagues on delivering. However, I am pleased to say that design development work to confirm the preferred route of the A4 Enniskillen southern bypass alignment is nearing completion. The preferred route will be available for announcement early in the new year, when a public display or information day will be held to inform the public and invite comment. Further progression of the project will be dependent on the availability of finance.”
“<BR /> <BR />Preliminary development work is also being taken forward by consultants to identify a preferred corridor for an offline realignment at Kilgortnaleague, — I hear laughter from the Member — with an approximate construction cost of £6 million. It is hoped to announce the preferred route corridor in 2015.”
“How could I forget the A32 when the Member consistently raises it in the Chamber and mentions it to me privately? There is seldom an opportunity, even over a cup of coffee, that he does not talk about the A32. <BR /> <BR />Two significant A32 road improvement schemes to a value of over £10 million have been delivered in accordance with the A32 improvement strategy. Those were the Drumskinny widening and realignment and the Shannaragh realignment works. Development work is ongoing on two further schemes. It is hoped to publish draft orders for an offline realignment at Cornamuck in March 2015. The approximate construction cost is £5 million. That would bring the project closer to a state of readiness for delivery should funding become available.”
“I thank the Member for his constructive comments. Obviously, there is the potential for good news. The Department and my officials will continue to manage this, and we hope that we can meet the timetable that I have outlined. I know that the people of Magherafelt and the surrounding district will benefit hugely from the bypass. My party colleague Sandra Overend has been a huge supporter and influence in encouraging me to bring the scheme forward and I am very grateful that, at long last, after a 40-year wait, it will be delivered by an Ulster Unionist Minister.”
“I thank the Member for his question. Tenders for the construction of the Magherafelt bypass were received on 24 November. Tender assessment is under way, with a view to awarding the contract. Subject to no commercial challenge, construction work should start next February. Temporary fencing to secure the six-kilometre-long site is complete, and NI service diversions are under way. The archaeological investigation and vegetation clearance will begin shortly, and, hopefully, the new carriageway will be open to traffic in October 2016.”
“I am grateful to the Member. Of course, his contributions are always heavenly when made in the Chamber. I know of no plans. I have not even heard the rumours that he apparently has heard, even at close source. Frankly, it would make no sense for my Department to start selling off parts of the Comber greenway, given the exciting plans that we have, in conjunction with others, to develop it.”
“I am grateful to the Member for his question. I do not know what rumour mill he has been listening to or where that is coming from, but I am very happy to confirm that I have no plans to do as he suggests. Presumably, he is alarmed that that might happen. I think the Comber greenway has huge potential. Work has been done. The number of people using it continues to increase and I think we want to use it to its maximum advantage as we press home our ideals for the cycling revolution.”
“I am grateful to the Member. Of course, I am happy to say that I want the cycling revolution to extend to all parts of Northern Ireland, not least Omagh, as I have said, and to all of the towns, cities and villages. Of course, this will take time, but I think that there are opportunities available to us. Certainly, I know that there is potential for the development of greenways in Northern Ireland. I know that the Member is interested in that and, perhaps, in the extension of the old Great Northern Railway (GNR) line as a greenway from Omagh to Londonderry. So, I think that there are opportunities there and I hope very much that we will have the opportunity to work together positively to successfully carry through this cycling revolution.”
“This is a 25-year Northern Ireland strategy, so I hope that it can be rolled out to all areas of Northern Ireland, not least to Omagh, of course, where, I am aware, there is already some excellent infrastructure and many active cyclists, including the Omagh Cycling Initiative.”
“I am grateful to the Member for his question. I welcome the Member's keen interest in cycling and his championing of cycling in Omagh and west Tyrone, and I thank him for his response to the recent public consultation. The main messages coming from the consultation are about significant support for the strategy and the three-pronged approach of building for the bicycle, supporting and promoting the use of the bicycle and a greater emphasis on safety. That will help us to reach our target audience: citizens who are interested in cycling but concerned about getting on a bicycle. The need to develop a better cycling culture, where all road users treat other road users with respect, has also come up. <BR /> <BR />I hope that the consultation report will be available in the new year and that the strategy will be finalised after Easter.”
“I am grateful to the Member for ingeniously inserting a question on bus lanes into the issue of the York Street interchange. His ability in that respect knows little bounds. <BR /> <BR />I am aware of the change that is being proposed by the Minister of the Environment, Mr Durkan. That will obviously have to go through processes in the House and the Assembly. I am still considering the position, pending the successful outcome of that legislation, should it be put in place.”
“I am grateful to the Member and welcome him to the House. I think that this is the first opportunity that he has had to question me. He will realise that I am not given to rash answers, so I will not confirm or deny his assertion. I am happy to consider it further and provide a written response.”
“Given the rate of progress, and subject to finance, statutory approval and successful procurement, the scheme could commence in 2018, with a construction period of around three years.”
“The proposed solution will provide direct links between the Westlink and the M2 and M3. That will provide for the strategic traffic movements between those three main routes and also cater for local access from the Port of Belfast and the city. <BR /> <BR />The next step will be the publication of the draft statutory orders. Those are the direction order, the vesting order and an environmental statement. The orders will be published during the current financial year, and I will announce the date of publication, along with the associated consultation process, in due course. Depending on the response to the consultation, I may also hold a public inquiry into the scheme.”
“The existing York Street junction is a key junction on the strategic road network that links three of the busiest roads in Northern Ireland — the Westlink, the M2 and the M3. The M1/Westlink improvements were completed in 2010. However, the existing York Street junction remains a bottleneck on the eastern seaboard corridor. The existing at-grade traffic signal-controlled junction causes considerable congestion and delays for the 100,000 vehicles that pass through it daily. <BR /> <BR />The Member will know that the development of a road scheme follows a well-rehearsed path. The preliminary assessment works have been completed on the York Street interchange, and I announced the preferred route on 6 December 2012. Since then, work has continued on the detailed development of the scheme.”
“Therefore, it is not a pretty picture. Indeed, I have had the opportunity to meet the board of Northern Ireland Water and its senior executives, and, like me, they are very concerned at the current financial situation.”
“I am grateful to the Member for his supplementary question. Indeed, that is a very serious concern that is at the very front of my mind when considering next year's budget and future financial settlements. Of course, we have yet to see the final determination, but I have indicated that we are potentially down some £15 million next year. I think that that will certainly have an impact on aspects of service. Staffing levels, in turn, cannot be reduced without a detrimental impact on front-line services. It might also be necessary to reduce the use of external contractors to live within budget. That, again, would reduce NI Water's ability to maintain a 24/7 service and could perhaps give rise to environmental failures. As I said, that could lead to EU infraction and legal action as a result of the failure to meet environmental standards.”
“With a reduction in funding, this situation is likely to be reversed, and it could give rise to environmental failures, potentially leading to EU infraction and/or legal action as a result of failure to meet environmental standards.”
“<BR /> <BR />At least £15 million additional funding is necessary to maintain delivery of water and wastewater services at current levels. The increase is largely as a result of a £13 million increase in rates stemming from the non-domestic revaluation exercise. Failure to provide sufficient funding would reduce Northern Ireland Water’s ability to maintain a 24/7 service for call handling and out-of-hours customer and network responses to service interruptions, flooding and pollution incidents. <BR /> <BR />NI Water has demonstrated that it has improved efficiency since 2007, and the regulator has independently verified that.”
“The regulator published the PC15 draft determination on 10 July, and consultation closed on 15 October. The final determination is expected tomorrow. That will provide an assessment of the Northern Ireland Water business plan and will set out the required operating costs, capital and income requirement for the years 2015-2021. <BR /> <BR />The consultation document on the 2015-16 Budget that I published last week makes it clear that I will be unable to meet the funding requirements resulting from the draft determination and that that is likely to have significant negative repercussions for the quality of services that NI Water provides. Should such a shortfall remain after the final determination emerges and the 2015-16 Budget is finalised, those repercussions will become reality in the coming years.”
“I am grateful to the Member for his question. We continue to look at all aspects of our projects to see what benefits there are. There are several possible projects relating to the current Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) call; indeed, the final decision to apply for funding will depend on the outcome of a fit-for-purpose test of the call criteria. That includes assessing the maturity, quality, relevance and impact of each project. Projects that are being considered include the A26 Glarryford to Drones Road junction dualling and the Newry southern relief road, as well as a couple of options from Translink, including the Coleraine to Londonderry track upgrade phase 2 and the Knockmore to Lurgan track rehabilitation.”
“I am grateful to the Member for his encouraging remarks. DRD is top of the league of Executive performance. Having created the special EU unit, it is clear that my intention is that we stay top of the league but that we also encourage other Departments to benefit from EU moneys. The point that I made in the latter part of my answer to his substantive question is an important one: there should be more incentive for Departments and Ministers to ensure that Europe is being properly and forensically drained of funding opportunities. If Departments were allowed to keep the money or to spend it on their departmental responsibilities, that would add further incentive.”
“Across the board, wide disparities exist in departmental performance. One of the key reasons for that is that the incentive for putting what we all know are tightly constrained resources into a competitive bidding process is marginal at best. There is, therefore, a great deal of scope for a reconsideration of how competitive EU funds are collected and distributed at the centre. <BR /> <BR />If every Department was assured of retaining all the funding that it won, rather than suffering the vagaries of the existing budgetary process, the probability of more Departments replicating the success of the Department for Regional Development would be significantly higher.”
“I am very pleased that the Member has, through his question, been prepared to acknowledge that my Department has been successful in drawing down European funding. The reasons behind my decision to establish a dedicated EU Unit were twofold. First, there was a need to build and retain specialist expertise of the complexities of a range of EU funding programmes. Secondly, I appreciated that the benefits of applying that expertise effectively, particularly in the preparation of bids and applications, had the potential to significantly increase the flow of EU moneys into Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />The evidence to date justifies my decision. Since 2013, the EU unit has successfully secured some £33 million of European funding, and it continues to explore further opportunities as I speak.”
“The Member, through his membership of the Committee for Regional Development, has been critical of some of the actions that I have been forced to take. I repeat: I have been forced to take them. He also offered a solution by saying that we would somehow find moneys by using the resources of Translink. We have attempted to use every resource available to us; we have forensically looked at our budget, and we continue to do so. However, you cannot make savings on the scale of those imposed without their having an impact. <BR /> <BR />I am glad to say that that has not led to an increase in public claims of liability, and we will continue to challenge and contest such claims, case by case. I do not want to hear Members coming to the House with crocodile tears, airing concerns that they are not prepared to support in other places.”
“There is, as yet, no evidence of increased claims against the Department as a result of the savings and the cutbacks that we have been forced to make.”
“I am grateful to the Member for his question.”
“I am grateful to the Member for his question. There is ongoing provision for farmers and other such contractors to register to give assistance. We have to use in the best possible way the limited resources available to us. We will deal as sympathetically as possible with emergency cases that require attention, such as funerals etc. <BR /> <BR />Arrangements are in place to bring farmers and contractors in to assist with the clearance of snow from local roads. Of course, we have salt bins and 50,000 grit piles. The Member will know, living in a rural community, how important self-help is to assist particularly the elderly and those not able to carry out such functions. I encourage people to continue to do that and work together at community level.”
“I am grateful to the Member for his question. I can confirm that in spite of the pressures on me, and given what I said, we will continue to provide winter services. Whilst the early part of winter has perhaps been a little bit milder, I am aware, and the Member will be aware, of weather warnings about wind speeds this evening. <BR /> <BR />We are now approaching the hard section of winter. Nevertheless, we continue to put out the grit boxes and grit piles — some 50,000 grit piles and approximately 4,800 salt bins — and we will continue to salt the main network. But I respectfully say to the Member that if he wants to assist me properly, he does need to speak to his party colleague, the Finance Minister, and Executive colleagues to encourage them to plug the gap that is currently in my budget.”
“I am grateful to the Member for her supplementary question. I hope and trust that politics is not being played with anybody's budget. Quite frankly, these matters are too important, and winter services are an essential part of the services that DRD provides. <BR /> <BR />We are engaging with the Department of Finance and Personnel. I made my concern clear to Mr Hamilton and the entire Executive. Nobody should underestimate this. There are clear implications not only for the DRD budget but potentially for an Executive overspend. Surely no one will want to be in that situation, because it will reflect badly on all of us, I suspect. I very much hope that people will not play politics and that we can restore this budget and ensure that the level of service that we would seek — that I would want to provide — can, indeed, be provided.”
“They have not yet done so, with my bids for the £20 million in June and October monitoring being unsuccessful. I am conscious of time, but this is important, so I claim your indulgence, Mr Principal Deputy Speaker. The next stage of resource measures available to me would involve cutting core front-line services, including some £3 million of funding for winter service activities. These measures directly affect public safety, including no gritting or snow clearing. I am simply not prepared to put the public at risk by stopping such services.”
“My Department’s budget was set, as part of Budget 2011-15, by the then Executive on the basis that £20 million of income would be secured from Belfast Harbour Commissioners in both 2013-14 and 2014-15. The Budget review group subsequently agreed that the Department should work collaboratively with Belfast Harbour Commissioners on release-of-value projects. While the Harbour has agreed to undertake £41·5 million of release-of-value projects and is progressing these, there is no means of crediting this investment to my Department’s budget. The Executive agreed that the shortfall should be addressed through in-year monitoring, and this was the case in 2013-14 when the Executive allocated £20 million to my Department during the year. <BR /> <BR />In September 2014, the Budget review group recommended that the Executive take the same steps.”
“My Department has delivered £15 million of resource departmental expenditure limit (DEL) to meet the 4·4% budget reduction agreed by the Executive in 2014-15. These cuts were addressed through a number of savings measures including a series of measures to reduce my Department’s administration spend; reductions in funding to Translink; stopping external contractors' work on routine road maintenance, including patching, grass cutting and gully emptying; and suspending the use of external contractors for the repair of street lights that fail, unless they pose an electrical hazard to the public. <BR /> <BR />However, a number of pressures remain within my Department, the largest being the £20 million pressure in respect of the release of value from Belfast Harbour Commissioners.”
“We parted our ways a while ago, but who knows? <BR /> <BR />The prime reason for the reduction in speed limits in certain key areas, Banbridge and Dromore included, was safety. Of course, the Member will also know that a number of safety measures have been carried out over the years. We continue to review that situation in consultation with the PSNI, but we currently judge that it is in the best interests of road safety that the 60 mph speed limit should remain in place.”
“I thank the Member for his question. Indeed, he and I travel that road very often, mostly separately.”
“Delivery of this scheme remains subject to it clearing statutory procedures and having a satisfactory economic appraisal, and it is dependent on future funding levels.”
“I am grateful to the Member for his supplementary question. He will know that a significant amount of development work has already been progressed. However, much remains to be done. <BR /> <BR />The next stage includes completing the detailed design and taking the proposal through the environmental statement, direction order and vesting order statutory procedures. That process is likely to include public inquiries. The proposal is estimated to cost in the range of £35 million to £45 million. However, there is an opportunity to deliver the proposal in phases by constructing one junction at a time, with the associated closing of gaps in the central median and the erection of a central safety barrier.”
“I am grateful to the Member for his supplementary question. I am aware of those proposals. I am due to meet representatives from Hillsborough Castle and Historic Royal Palaces early in the new year. <BR /> <BR />Obviously, the A1 is a protected route, so we would have to look very carefully at any proposals that others might suggest. We will certainly engage in that meeting and hear the view of Historic Royal Palaces. I accept the huge potential that Hillsborough Castle, as a royal residence, will have as a tourist facility. I am sure that the Member will want to acknowledge that; no doubt, if he has not been there, an early invitation can be arranged. I see the huge potential in tourism, but there are practical difficulties, not least the status of a protected route on the A1.”
“I am grateful to the Member for his supplementary question. The project in mind is to deal with junctions along the entire route of the A1. Separate work is being carried out to look at the Hillsborough junction. A number of Members have asked questions about this over a period of time. That work is ongoing. I have outlined the situation when it comes to our proposals for the junctions along the A1 stretching almost along its entirety.”
“A northbound on-slip at Castlewellan Road, Banbridge will also improve access at the junction. I have not yet made a decision on the preferred option for the scheme.”
“I am grateful to the Member. The proposed grade-separated junctions on the A1 between Hillsborough roundabout and Loughbrickland form part of the A1 junctions phase 2 proposal. That proposal includes additional junction improvements, including four flyover-type junctions, closing up all openings in the central median, installing a continuous central safety barrier, and closing some minor road junctions along that stretch of the route. Following extensive feedback received at the public information event held in November 2013 and over the following months, the proposals have been reviewed. As a result, significantly fewer closures of minor road junctions with the A1 are being proposed than previously. They will now remain open for left-in and left-out access.”
“— and I hope to proceed with it as quickly as possible.”
“I know that you did not make that allegation. However, I accept the arguments and the need for the upgrade of the A6 —”
“Maurice Devenney, who is, sadly, not in the Chamber at present, made his maiden speech, and I wanted to welcome him to the Assembly. I welcome his contribution; he made points outlining his support for the overall scheme and for priorities in the north-west area. <BR /> <BR />Raymond McCartney showed some sympathy towards the financial position and sought the advancement of the scheme as quickly as possible. <BR /> <BR />Trevor Clarke mentioned the very tragic issue of road deaths and the tragic loss of life that areas of that stretch of road have yielded. Of course, our sympathies will always be with those people. <BR /> <BR />Seán Lynch highlighted the virtues of the A6. <BR /> <BR />Let me say to Pat Ramsey that there is no cunning plan here. There is no conspiracy on my part to deny the north-west.”
“<BR /> <BR />To be praised by Gregory Campbell in the current climate is quite dangerous. In some ways, it would be considered risky. However, he did at least speak up for the Minister — me — and assured me that he would speak directly to his friend the Finance Minister to see whether a more benevolent approach could be adopted to funding for the scheme and perhaps other things. <BR /> <BR />Ross Hussey, who is no longer in the Chamber, made a point about Dungiven. I do not think, however, that it is good to ridicule the area too much. <BR /> <BR />Trevor Lunn, who is in the Chamber, made an interesting contribution. He sort of accepted that there was no money. He then extolled the virtues of the Castledawson to Randalstown scheme but ended up firmly on the side of the Dungiven bypass, even though there is no money.”
“If that decision leads to the publication of the direction order, delivery of the scheme will be subject to final approval of the business case and be reliant on funding being made available by the Executive. <BR /> <BR />A number of Members contributed to the debate. Mr McAleer opened the debate, I think to keep the debate going. He highlighted the strategic importance of the route and referred to the pollution in Dungiven. <BR /> <BR />John Dallat raised a number of issues. His general complaint was that the north-west was being sold short. I am working hard to ensure that that accusation will never be levelled accurately against me and will continue to do that. He asked us to consider stopping off at the Ponderosa sometime, but that is down to the personal choice of Members.”
“I have, however, continued to progress the development of major road improvements that will benefit the economy of our country to the point at which they are in a position to avail themselves of funding when that becomes available. That has proved successful in the case of the A26, with a contract recently awarded, and the Magherafelt bypass, with procurement well advanced. <BR /> <BR />The process continues with the tender competition for the Randalstown to Castledawson section of the A6, and my intention is to appoint a contractor to develop a detailed design that can then move to construction as soon as funding becomes available. I have set out the progress to date on the A6 Londonderry to Dungiven scheme, but I cannot pre-empt due process and my decision on the statutory orders.”