Kirsty McManus, Chairperson of the new Ministerial Advisory Panel and the Minister for Infrastructure Nichola Mallon MLA
Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon has established a Ministerial Advisory Panel to assist with providing cleaner, greener, more sustainable, and inclusive infrastructure going forward. The Panel will also consider the need for an Infrastructure Commission for Northern Ireland to support long-term planning and development across the island of Ireland.
· Kirsty McManus of the Institute of Directors will chair the panel which comprises a small group of independent experts and key stakeholders in infrastructure.
· It will primarily address the ‘hard’ infrastructure that falls under the remit of the Department for Infrastructure. These areas are water, drainage and inland waterways, public transport, roads and cycling infrastructure.
· Minister Mallon stated the importance of long-term planning and delivery in infrastructure and will explore with the Panel the value of setting up a Commission to support this.
· The Panel will also consider the appropriateness of any future Commission having a remit beyond the Department’s official remit to deliver partnership across departments, communities, public and private sectors, and the island of Ireland as a whole.
· Meeting as required between now and early September, the Panel will present a final report containing recommendations to the Minister in Autumn 2020.