Members, I am aware that there is a small issue with the sound, so please bear with us until we get that rectified.

The Speaker has received notice from the Minister for Infrastructure that she wishes to make a statement. Before I call the Minister, I remind Members that they must be concise in asking their question. This is not an opportunity for debate, and long introductions will not be permitted.

In compliance with section 52 of the NI Act 1998, I wish to make the following statement on the meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in the transport sector held on Thursday 27 February 2025. The meeting took place in Dublin and was chaired by Darragh O'Brien, Minister for Transport. I attended the meeting with Mike Nesbitt MLA, Minister of Health, who attended as the accompanying Minister.

The NSMC noted the significant progress made since the last meeting with the formal decision to proceed with the first phase of the A5 western transport corridor and that the A5, Donegal Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) and N2 road infrastructure projects continue to progress, with the Administrations working collaboratively, including on the mitigation of impacts on the River Foyle floodplain.

Ministers noted the progress on the establishment of a cross-border working group, which is expected to be operational in the coming months, to ensure successful outcomes through the planning processes.

The Council welcomed progress on the implementation of commitments on infrastructure investment that were outlined in the New Decade, New Approach agreement of January 2020. Ministers commended the progress on cross-border greenways, including the Sligo to Enniskillen greenway, the Ulster canal greenway and the Carlingford lough greenway, and the completion of the north-west greenway network. The Council noted that an expert-led review commissioned by the Dublin Government on potential cross-border greenway opportunities is ongoing and is expected to be completed in quarter 2 of 2025.

The NSMC welcomed the hourly Enterprise services between Dublin's Connolly station and Belfast Grand Central station that commenced in October 2024, with funding of €12·5 million provided through the Shared Island Fund and match funding provided by the Department of Transport. The Council also welcomed the publication in July 2024 of the all-island strategic rail review. The Council noted the ongoing review of the potential for government support for renewed viable air routes from Cork to Belfast and from Dublin to City of Derry Airport.

The Council acknowledged collaboration to date on policies and projects related to sustainable mobility and decarbonisation and welcomed a commitment to continue that work by the relevant Departments in both jurisdictions. Ministers noted that officials from both Administrations will progress agreed cross-border sustainable travel and transport projects, continue to liaise on policy development and seek opportunities for further collaboration.

Ministers noted that officials have progressed plans for an environment-themed workshop to showcase and share information on biodiversity best practice across the transport sector.

The NSMC welcomed the continued sharing of knowledge and experience between officials in both jurisdictions on the delivery of road safety measures and the agreement that future engagement between the Department for Infrastructure and the Department of Transport will include structured working group engagement between relevant officials to support the delivery of positive road safety benefits in both jurisdictions.

Ministers agreed to include an enhanced road safety item as an area of cooperation on the NSMC transport sector work programme. The Council recognised the progress that has been made in the delivery of the jurisdictions' respective road safety strategies. Ministers welcomed the presentation by Dr Kiran Sarma on mobile phone use while driving.

The Council agreed to hold its next transport meeting in October 2025. My officials and I look forward to working with the Minister of Transport and his officials in all areas of cooperation in the transport sector.

Before I call Mark Durkan to ask a question on behalf of the Opposition, I remind Members who wish to ask a question to continually rise in their place, and we will try to include you all.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht a ráitis.

[Translation: I thank the Minister for her statement.]

We learned from the statement that the Council welcomed the publication of the all-island strategic rail review, which was published almost nine months ago. Was there no further discussion about the funding for and implementation of the review's recommendations? While the hourly Enterprise has been a roaring success in terms of passenger numbers, will the Minister comment on yesterday's embarrassing media reports that the state-of-the-art and expensive ticket machines do not facilitate the purchase of tickets for cross-border travel?

I thank the Member for his question. Funding was discussed, and we hope to see further progress on that. The Minister of Transport did not provide any specifics, but we agreed to ongoing engagement.

I am happy to answer his other question, which is not related to the statement, because I have provided a response to his colleague's question for written answer. That is an operational matter for Translink, as he will be aware, which has advised that it is linked to seating arrangements on the trains and buses and that tickets can be purchased on the bus or the train or at individual ticket stands. I raised it with Translink, and it provided that response.

I thank the Minister for her statement. I declare an interest in relation to the A5: my husband's family are landowners along the route. Her statement references:

" the establishment of a cross-border working group ... in the coming months, to ensure successful outcomes through the planning processes."

The AERA Committee and the Infrastructure Committee looked at that in a joint meeting. What is the composition of that working group? What are its specific objectives for ensuring successful outcomes through the planning process? For example, will it include measures to expedite planning permission on structures to support those who have been impacted on by a vesting order?

I thank the Member for her question. The specifics for the working group are all being worked through. We recognise that engagement, North and South, has been strengthened over the past year. The working group is being set up. As more information on what the group will look like and what it will set out to do becomes available, we will make sure to share it with Members.

Cuirim fáilte roimh ráiteas an Aire.

[Translation: I welcome the Minister's statement.]

Will she outline the health and connectivity benefits for border communities owing to the development of cross-border greenways?

I thank the Member for his question. That is very important, particularly given that both the Health Minister and I were at the meeting. It is important to recognise that cross-border greenways encourage greater levels of active travel, whether that is walking or cycling. It takes people out of private cars. More people are getting out, and that has health and environmental benefits for all our communities.

Six cross-border corridors have been identified in the national cycle network. Informal and statutory consultations were undertaken with the relevant authorities in the North during their development. They will inform and help deliver projects that will continue to benefit people's health and connectivity not just in border areas but right across our island.

I thank the Minister for her statement. In referencing cross-border greenway opportunities, has the Minister considered or raised the potential of linking and developing greenways that are on the Warrenpoint side of Carlingford lough on the completion of the Narrow Water bridge?

I thank the Member for his suggestion. At this stage, that has not been considered, but it is something that we could certainly look at, given the design of the Narrow Water bridge. That is aimed at tourism and at more active travel. I am happy to consider that and to come back to the Member on it.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire.

[Translation: I thank the Minister.]

The Minister is aware of the importance of the A5 road upgrade for the people of West Tyrone. I thank the Minister for her continued support of and commitment to the project. Will she outline the level of engagement that her officials have had with Department of Transport officials on the A5 road upgrade?

Throughout the development of the A5 project there has been strong and regular engagement with the relevant authorities in the South. As I said to a Member who previously spoke, that has strengthened over the past year with the development of the new working group. We have worked very closely with the Department of Transport on the release of funding in line with the relevant budgetary and approval processes in both jurisdictions and with the Donegal national roads office on the A5 Donegal Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) projects interface. We have also been working with the Office of Public Works (OPW) on the mitigation of impacts on the River Foyle floodplain, as well as working closely with Monaghan County Council on the continued development of the N2 Clontibret to the border road scheme.

I thank the Minister for bringing the statement to the House. It mentions good work on the road safety strategy. Will she advise when her Department will publish its road safety action plan for 2025-26? The scale of the issues on our roads is very great, and, sadly, we have seen 139 people lose their life on our roads in the past two years.

I thank the Member for his question. Last night, I attended the primary-school road safety awards in the Glenavon House Hotel in Cookstown. It was fantastic to see 22 schools from right across the North at that event. This morning, I attended a similar event with business chief executives at the road safety police headquarters in Ravarnet.

I concur with the Member. We have a huge job of work to do. As recently as last week we saw more road deaths. We need to work harder to tackle that, because more families have just had their world shattered before us. I do not have a specific date for publication of the action plan, but I hope that it will be made available as soon as possible. I will keep Members updated.

I thank the Minister for her statement. I note the short paragraph on biodiversity loss in the transport sector. On the basis of that, does the Minister think that an environmentally themed workshop is enough on climate and biodiversity need, or is she aware of any more ambitious programmes to plan for the future in that regard on a North/South basis?

I know that the Member has submitted a number of questions for written answer on that issue, and I am in the process of coming back to him in more detail. We have a number of schemes in that area, including pollinator-friendly projects such as No Mow May. There is lots of work that we can and should be doing, and I am open to other suggestions. There is always more that we can do, and I am happy to look at that in more detail. I take the Member's point, but the statement is on one meeting and does not reflect the work of the Department as a whole.

Thank you, Minister. Minister, will you outline the similarities in the approaches to decarbonisation, North and South, please?

Similar to the South, my Department is committed to a just transition to net zero and encourages everyone to make any little changes that they can, including the decarbonisation of private cars. That will be one of the most impactful transport measures when it comes to tackling the climate crisis, which is an issue with which we are all too familiar. My Department continues to work with other jurisdictions and the private sector to develop that process. However, we also need to provide attractive and sustainable transport alternatives such as public transport and walking, wheeling and cycling opportunities, which will give people cleaner, greener and healthier towns and cities in which they can thrive. That goes back to those points about the importance of our cross-border greenways and active travel routes. I am committed to working on an all-island basis, because we are one unit and should not be working in isolation on these important issues. I am working closely with my counterpart in the South and his Department.

As this is my first time addressing you, Minister, I wish you well in your new post. Minister, my question is on sustainable travel and transport. What further opportunities exist in that area?

I thank the Member for his kind words and well wishes.

On further opportunities, we are considering quite a number of methods of tackling and addressing climate change through the improvement of sustainable travel and transport options. My Department is working on the transport strategy, and the transport plans are more divisional right across the North. As I mentioned in the statement, we are also improving cross-border greenways and active travel, and there is then the broader piece on the decarbonisation of our transport fleet and giving people more options for how they get about. There are lots of things that we are doing, including on the transition to electric vehicles, which is a huge amount of work, but it is about trying to change people's mindsets and help them understand the impact of their behaviour and of making small changes. Those are the things that we are doing, but they are always open to improvement, and we are looking across all jurisdictions, on a European basis and globally, to see what other options are available to us.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht a ráitis.

[Translation: I thank the Minister for her statement.]

Minister, I particularly welcome the reference to the development of the A5, N2 and TEN-T network, which is crucial. Will the Minister outline the benefits of all-island cooperation on road safety, particularly along those border areas?

I thank the Member for raising that important point, because, to me, all-island cooperation on road safety is critical and will help to reduce the number of people killed and injured on our roads, particularly in those border areas. Coming from one of those border areas, I am all too familiar with the impacts of that.

Last year, 69 people lost their lives on our roads. That is more than one person a week and more than one family a week who have had their lives changed for ever. So far this year — we are into the tenth week of the year, I think — 10 people have died, half of whom were pedestrians. Road traffic collisions have devastating consequences, and that is why it is not just an issue for one individual or for somebody else; it is an issue for all of us, as a society.

It is a priority for me, and you will be aware that, back in September, my predecessor, John O'Dowd, launched the road safety strategy until 2030 and the supporting 2024-25 action plan. The action plan contains 10 strategic interventions and 35 in-year actions, and it is led by my Department and its road safety partners, including the PSNI, the Fire and Rescue Service, the Ambulance Service, DAERA and DOJ.

Those partners have also joined with my Department to form the strategic road safety forum, which looks at how we can work together to improve outcomes.

I thank the Minister for her statement. Six months ago, the Planning Appeals Commission published a report that highlighted significant flooding issues on the Newbuildings to Strabane section of the A5. Minister, are you saying that the only progress that has been made in addressing those issues is the potential for a working group to be set up? We do not know who will sit on that or when it will come forward.

A lot of work is ongoing. The specifics in the statement were about cross-border cooperation. Work remains ongoing at a very high level. I am due to receive a further update today. I can come back to the Member in writing to provide him with the most recent update. You will be aware that legal proceedings are also ongoing. The court hearing is next Tuesday. We hope to be able to press ahead, after the court decision, at the earliest possible stage. I have said to officials that we need to be ready to move as soon as we can. I am keen to do that. A lot of work is ongoing, and I will get the most recent update to you.

I thank the Minister for her statement. I know that she attended the recent road safety awards and met Davy Jackson, who is a powerful advocate for road safety. As chair of the all-party group on road safety, I am keen to learn about the insights that the Minister gained from the presentation that she received. What learnings can be taken forward to improve road safety education here?

I thank the Member for raising the issue. I spoke to Davy Jackson last night. He does fantastic work, as do Monica Heaney and Tricia O'Neill, who are from my local area and were also present last night. They do phenomenal work with young people right across the board and wider society in increasing their awareness of road safety.

The presentation was fascinating. We have asked for it to be forwarded to us. It was about mobile phone use. We are all guilty of over-relying on our mobile phones in every aspect of life. We need to ask how we use the presentation to better inform people of the real consequences of simply lifting their mobile phone while driving. Perhaps we can put mitigations in place to prevent that natural reaction. Something that really struck me while coming out of the professor's presentation was that, in many cases, people make a conscious decision not to use their mobile phone while driving, but we are in the habit of using them for everything; it is not just about making calls or sending text messages. On many occasions, people use their phone while driving without even realising. It is about trying to change that culture and make people think twice before doing that. It is also about driving home the impact and consequences of that behaviour. We will see how we can use that to better inform what we do in that regard.

Minister, I was very surprised that your statement did not include any mention of the Narrow Water bridge project. You will know that that project was first conceived of by the former SDLP MLA P J Bradley, who is, sadly, deceased. Will you give us an update on progress with the bridge?

The southern end of Carlingford lough greenway has been completed for months, which is fantastic; it is getting huge uptake already. Why does progress on the northern end seem to be very slow and delayed? When will that be completed?

Minister, there were three questions not relating to the statement, so you can answer them in whatever way you wish.

I did not catch all the questions. We had a brief conversation about Narrow Water bridge, which, as the Member will know, is progressing really well. The fact that it is moving at pace suggests that it is going according to plan.

I thank the Minister for making her statement to the House. Minister, will you update us on any cross-border working that is taking place in relation to alternative fuels?

As I said, the wider piece around decarbonisation is an all-island piece of work. We have to work together as one unit. My officials are working with officials in the Department of Transport on a Shared Island project on green hydrogen. There is also Shared Island funding for an EV charging scheme for sports clubs. Projects are already taking place to look at alternative fuels, other methods of transport and decarbonisation on an all-island basis.

Thank you, Minister, for your statement. You referred to the plans for an environmentally themed workshop. Who will be involved in that?

I will have to come back to the Member in writing on that one, because I do not have all the details of who is involved. As I said, it is in its early stages. I will be happy to write to the Member when I have more detail on it.

I thank the Minister for her statement. I welcome the discussion about air connectivity on and across these islands. Now that the Minister has taken up office, does she support the retention of airport development policy in her Department's remit?

As Minister for Infrastructure, my powers relating to the three main airports in the North are limited to the Airports (NI) Order 1994, which includes powers around land acquisition and airport management. Aviation management matters in the North, including airline safety whilst on board an aircraft, are the responsibility of the British Government's Department for Transport, but I am committed to continuing to work with Executive colleagues and our local airports to ensure that we protect the connectivity that we, as an island, rely on. My officials, along with officials from the Department for the Economy, are engaging with airports to improve relationships and explore ways to improve communications. I am committed to continuing that work, to listening to Derry City and Strabane District Council's case for supporting City of Derry Airport and to working with the rest of the Executive to identify ways to enhance support for our airports.

Minister, rebuilding and redeveloping our all-island rail network is one of the most inspiring parts of the cross-border agenda. We are supposed to agree on that, but people will be disappointed to see that the statement has just 15 words of a two-page statement on the all-island strategic rail review and simply notes its existence without any clear commitments to implementation. People would have expected more from a Sinn Féin Infrastructure Minister.

Is there a question, Matthew?

Minister, will you give us clarity on when you will update the House — indeed, when Dáil Éireann will be updated — on the implementation of the all-island strategic rail review? From reading the statement, it seems like it will just be left on a shelf.

I disagree with the Member, which will be no surprise. Rail services on the island are already being developed towards the report's vision. It is ambitious, and we have discussed in the Chamber the fact that it will take a huge amount of money and work to achieve, but I am committed to doing that and to doing as much as I can within the mandate to move it forward. There has been ongoing engagement with the Irish Government on how we develop that further. Officials continue to work with their counterparts in the Department of Transport, supported by the European Investment Bank (EIB), to consider the recommendations of the review and identify the rail interventions that could be well advanced or delivered over the next decade to 2035. Translink has also conducted a number of feasibility studies linked to the recommendations which are due to report in the spring or early summer, so we hope to see the next steps on that at that stage. I will then have to consider which projects to prioritise as funding opportunities become available. The outcomes from the EIB work and the feasibility studies will help to inform that.

The work is ongoing. We have to do it right. As we have said before in the House, whatever we do on this will leave a legacy. It will be there for many decades to come, so it has to be done not only at pace but in a sustainable way so that it will be there for future generations.

The Minister reported that the Council welcomed progress on the implementation of commitments in the New Decade, New Approach agreement. Did that include any update on the Yorkgate interchange in north Belfast, which is an NDNA commitment? If it was not raised, can the Minister confirm that she is committed to progressing that project?

That did not come up at the meeting, as it was a cross-border, all-island meeting, but I am happy to come back to the Member on it. We are keen to move ahead and see progress on that. The Member will know better than I do the long history of that issue. We can take that up again.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire.

[Translation: I thank the Minister.]

Under the heading, "Sustainable Travel and Transport", the Minister referred to collaboration on policies and projects. Will she provide details on what those policies and projects are, please?

I have outlined the four key areas. They relate to the transport plans that my Department is working through currently; active travel and the improvement and enhancement of the cross-border greenways and connections; our work together, on an all-island basis, on the decarbonisation of our transport fleet; and the broader projects, which I mentioned in response to my colleague Áine Murphy, relating to alternative fuels and EV charging points. Those are the four main areas, at this stage.

The Minister's predecessor reduced verge cutting that improves sight lines on roads etc to improve biodiversity. It was classified as No Mow May. Miles and miles of hedgerows have been removed along the A5, and I would call that "Devastation in December". What is biodiversity best practice across the transport sector?

The work along the A5 is about saving lives. That is why that work is happening, as the Member will be aware. There are lots of things that we can do in relation to biodiversity. It is important to look across the whole transport sector, not just here in the North but in the South, across the water and, indeed, worldwide. There are lots of good examples from which we can draw, and we will continue to do that.

I do not expect that anyone from the southern side of the border will have raised this issue, but did either Mr Nesbitt or the Infrastructure Minister raise the fact that the Grand Central station project has resulted in a 40% reduction in the takings of businesses in Sandy Row? Is there any prospect of financial assistance for them from the Shared Island Fund?

Minister, the subject of that question was not covered in your statement. You may respond to it in any way that you see fit.

It was not an issue for the meeting, as Madam Principal Deputy Speaker has outlined. However, I have committed to meeting residents and the community there in relation to the issues. I am sure that that will come up at that engagement.

Members, that ends questions to the Minister on her statement.

On a point of order, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker, and thank you. I am aware that the rules in Standing Orders oblige Ministers to acknowledge when they have ministerial accompaniment at NSMC meetings, but, in this statement, the same number of words are devoted to Mike Nesbitt attending the meeting as are devoted to the all-island strategic rail review. Is the Chair's office able to look at whether statements require such energy devoted to listing attendees versus the actual content of the meeting?

I am going to get you a copy of Standing Orders. I have raised this with you before — this is the fourth time. You are constantly raising issues that are not points of order. I suggest that you, as leader of the official Opposition, use the good office of our Business Committee and go through some training in Standing Orders. Your point is recorded.

Members, take your ease.

(Mr Deputy Speaker [Dr Aiken] in the Chair)