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About The Department

The Department for Regional Development (DRD) is one of 11 Northern Ireland Departments created in 1999 by the Departments (Northern Ireland) Order 1999.

Making Contact

You can find all the relevant contact information in the Contact Us section of this Web site.

Main Responsibilities

• regional strategic planning and development policy;
• transport strategy and sustainable transport policy;
• provision and maintenance of all public roads;
• public transport policy and performance;
• certain policy and support work for air and sea ports; and
• policy on water and sewerage services and management of the Department’s shareholder interest in Northern Ireland Water.

Our Corporate & Business Plan for 2010-11 is available via the following link:

• Corporate & Business Plan 2010-11 ( 1.54mb)

Key Achievements

Over the financial year 2009-10, some of our key achievements have made a real difference to the lives of people in Northern Ireland.  This includes:

• the completion of a £20 million improvement scheme on the M2 which included widening sections of both carriageways and replacing the Hightown, Collin and Longlands Bridges.  These works will improve journey times for traffic between Belfast, Antrim, the Port of Larne and Belfast International Airport;
• the opening of four improved junctions on the A1 Belfast to Dublin road at Hillsborough, Banbridge, Dromore and Loughbrickland at a cost of £16 million.  The introduction of two fly-overs and two underpasses will enhance safety and assist side road traffic join the main road;
• the construction of a new £14.6 million railway station in Newry.  The new station provides a modern, attractive facility for passengers with many new amenities, including the provision for 300 parking spaces for the use of rail passengers; and
• helping Northern Ireland Water substantially complete the Belfast Sewers Project, a major scheme to upgrade part of the sewerage network in Belfast.  The project will improve water quality in both the River Lagan and Blackstaff River while reducing the risk of flooding within the inner city.  It also incorporates the rehabilitation and upgrading of the sewer network to ensure compliance with European Union environmental standards.

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Vision, Values and Strategic Objectives

The vision of the Department is:

“A region with modern, safe and sustainable roads, transport and water services which improve quality of life for all.”

A number of core values underpin the culture within which the Department works to fulfil its mission.  These are:

• Commitment to Delivery;
• Leadership with Purpose;
• Learning and Improving;
• Support for our People;
• Teamwork and Participation;
• Working in Partnership; and
• Professionalism and Corporate Responsibility.

Our Strategic Objectives are:

• Supporting the economy by planning, developing and maintaining safe and sustainable transportation networks; promoting airport and harbour services; addressing regional imbalance in infrastructure; and shaping the long-term future of the region; and
• Contributing to the health and well-being of the community and the protection of the environment by maintaining and developing the policy and regulatory environment which provides sustainable, high quality water and sewerage services.

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Key Strategic Challenges

Our key strategic challenges include:

1. Delivering our Public Service Agreement targets set out in the Programme for Government 2008-11;
2. Delivering our programme and project milestones set out in the Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland 2008-18;
3. Creating strategic regional development and transportation plans to facilitate and steer the growth of the whole region;
4. Ensuring appropriate funding arrangements for water and sewerage services that will allow sustainable levels of investment;
5. Delivering the Executive’s commitments on the Review of Public Administration by the transfer of functions and staff to local councils and associated structural changes within Roads Service;
6. Securing the commitment of our people and ensuring the Department’s current and future capability to deliver its objectives and support our people;
7. Using the resources allocated to the Department to achieve good value for public money in delivering the objectives and targets in the 2010-11 Business Plan; and
8. Adapting to and playing our part in the delivery of the wider reforms of the public sector, e.g. Account NI, HR Connect, Records NI.

Management of the Department

The Minister for Regional Development, Conor Murphy MP, MLA, has overall political responsibility and accountability for all the Department's activities.  He sets the strategic policy and resources framework for the Department, which is headed by a Permanent Secretary, Malcolm McKibbin.

Malcolm McKibbin chairs the Departmental Board, which is a key element in the delivery of Corporate Governance within the Department.  Corporate Governance is the way in which an organisation is directed and controlled.  Details of all the arrangements which have been established to ensure proper and effective management of the Department's affairs are set out in a Corporate Goverance Framework (310 KB) .

In addition to Malcolm McKibbin, the Departmental Board comprises a further four Executive members and two non-Executive Independent members, Allen McCartney and Brian Carlin.  The latter ensure that executive members are supported and constructively challenged in their role.  The executive members of the Board include the Deputy Secretary for Regional Planning and Transportation; the Deputy Secretary for Resources and Management Services; the Chief Executive of Roads Service; and the Director of Human Resources and Organisational Change.  The Board meets once a month to review the Department's performance, to provide advice to the Minister and to provide corporate leadership to the organisation as a whole.  The minutes of the Departmental Board are available in the Publications section of this website.

The Core Groups in the Department are:

Resources and Management Services:

Responsible for water policy, management of the Department’s shareholder interest in Northern Ireland Water and a range of corporate services.  This includes human resources, strategic planning, information systems, organisational change, finance, internal audit, central claims and coordination of North-South and equality issues.

Regional Planning and Transportation:

Responsible for regional development and transport planning, sustainable transport, public transport, air and sea ports and public transport performance.

The Department has one Executive Agency:

Roads Service:

Responsible for ensuring that the public road network is managed, maintained and developed.  Roads Service has a key responsibility in ensuring that measures are taken to implement the roads aspects of both the Regional Transportation Strategy for Northern Ireland 2002-12 and the Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland 2008-18.  The agency is responsible for just over 25,000 kilometres of public roads, approximately 9,500 kilometres of footways, 5,800 bridges, 265,000 streetlights and 370 public car parks.

Resources

At 1 April 2010, DRD had a total of 2,607 employees.  2,108 in Roads Service and the remaining 499 in policy divisions and support services in the core Department.

The Department’s opening budget for 2010-11 was £1,073.5 million.

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The Department’s Role in Relation to its Arm’s Length Bodies

The Department has an important role in relation to each of the following separate organisations.  These organisations, while seat arm’s length to the Department, have their own Board of Directors and Corporate Governance arrangements:

Northern Ireland Water (NIW)

NIW is a Government Owned Company and the statutory water and sewerage undertaker, operating under licence and at arm’s length from central government structures.  The Minister retains overall policy and political oversight and sets strategic objectives. The actual delivery of water and sewerage services is, however, the responsibility of the Company, subject to regulatory oversight by the NI Authority for Utility Regulation and environmental regulators.

The Department monitors NIW’s business performance and outlook and engages with the Company Board, Chair and Executive Team on strategic and shareholder matters.  We are also responsible for making loans to the company to part fund its capital programme under the terms of a Subscription Agreement. In keeping with the company’s Articles of Association the Department is responsible for making appointments to the Board of NIW.

Phone: Waterline 0845 744 0088
Text phone: 0845 702 3206
E-mail: customerservices@niwater.com
Website: www.niwater.com

Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company (NITHC)

NITHC is a public corporation and the parent company of the publicly owned bus and rail companies in the region.  These companies, Northern Ireland Railways, Ulsterbus and Citybus (trading as Metro) operate under the brand name of Translink. NITHC’s statutory duties are to manage public transport properties and to oversee the activities of Translink.  

We provide financial assistance to Translink as part of the Executive’s investment in public transport here. We are also responsible for setting specific targets for NITHC and monitoring the extent to which these targets are achieved. Furthermore, we are also responsible for ensuring that appropriate financial and management controls are in place and that compliance with those controls is effectively monitored. We are responsible for appointing the Chairman and members of the NITHC Board.

22 Great Victoria Street
Belfast
BT2 7LX

Phone: 028 9024 3456
Fax: 028 9033 1165
Website: www.translink.co.uk/nithco

Northern Ireland Trust Ports

We are responsible for ports policy and the legislative framework within which ports operate in Northern Ireland.

There are five commercial ports in Northern Ireland – four Public Trust Ports (Belfast, Londonderry, Warrenpoint and Coleraine) and one in private ownership (Larne).  Public Trust Ports are autonomous, self-financing statutory bodies whose constitutions are set out in legislation.  They operate on a commercial basis with the profit generated by their activities reinvested to improve their facilities.

We appoint the chairmen and members of the trust ports at Belfast, Londonderry and Warrenpoint.  We also appoint the Donaghadee Harbour Commissioners.  Coleraine Borough Council is responsible for the appointment of Commissioners to Coleraine Harbour.

Belfast Harbour Commissioners

Belfast Harbour Commissioners are responsible for the improvement, maintenance and management of the port of Belfast and the accommodation and facilities therein.  The Commissioners are empowered to do so under the Belfast Harbour Order (NI) 2002.

Corporation Square
Belfast
BT1 3AL

Phone: 028 9055 4422
Fax: 028 9055 4411
E-mail: info@belfast-harbour.co.uk
Website: www.belfast-harbour.co.uk

Londonderry Port & Harbour Commissioners

Londonderry Port & Harbour Commissioners are responsible for the improvement, maintenance and management of the port of Londonderry and the accommodation and facilities therein.  The Commissioners are empowered to do so under the Londonderry Harbour Order (NI) 2002.

Harbour office
Port Road
Lisahally
Londonderry
BT47 6FL

Phone: 028 7186 0555
Fax: 028 7186 1168
E-mail: info@londonderry-port.co.uk
Website: www.londonderryport.com

Warrenpoint Harbour Authority

Warrenpoint Harbour Authority is responsible for the improvement, maintenance and management of the port of Warrenpoint and the accommodation and facilities therein.  The Commissioners are empowered to do so under the Warrenpoint Harbour Authority Order (NI) 2002.

Warrenpoint
Co. Down
BT34 3JR

Phone: 028 4177 3381
Fax: 028 4175 2875
E-mail: info@warrenpointharbour.co.uk
Website: www.warrenpointharbour.co.uk

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