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
Our main responsibilities include:
- regional planning;
- transportation strategy;
- Ports and Public Transport;
- roads and water policy; and
- providing and maintaining roads;
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, Paul Priestly.
Paul Priestly chairs the Department Board which is a key element in the delivery of Corporate Goverance within the Department. Corporate Goverance 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 managment of the Department's affairs are set out in a Corporate Goverance Framework (175Kb)
.
The Departmental Board has a number of executive members and two non-executive independent members who ensure that executive members are supported and constructively challenged in their role. 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. View the Departmental Board Minutes
The Core Groups in the Department are:
Resources and Management Services: Responsible for personnel, finance, corporate services, internal audit, central claims, water policy and management of the Department's shareholder interest in northern Ireland Water; and
Regional Planning and Transportation: Responsible for regional development and transport planning, public transport, air and sea ports and public transport performance.
The Department has one Executive Agency:
Roads Service Responsible for ensuring that measures are taken to implement the roads aspects of the Regional Transportation Strategy for Northern Ireland 2002-12 and that the public road network is managed, maintained and developed. Roads Service is responsible for just over 25,000 kilometres of public roads, approximately 9,000 kilometres of footways, 5,800 bridges, 257,700 streetlights and 370 public car parks.
Top of PageAim, Vision and Values
The Department's overall Aim is:
"To improve the quality of life for everyone in Northern Ireland by maintaining and enhancing a range of essential infrastructure services and by shaping the region's long-term strategic development".
The Department's Vision is:
"To improve continuously how it serves its customers and the taxpayer".
In pursuing this aim the key objectives of the Department are:
- Supporting the economy by maintaining and developing safe transportation networks, promoting airport and harbour services, shaping the long-term development of the region and providing other services to the public and other Departments; and
- Contributing to the health and well being of the community and the protection of the environment by developing and maintaining the policy and regulatory environment which provides modern, high quality water and sewerage services, at the lowest possible cost.
A number of core values underpin the culture within which the Department works to fulfil its mission. These are:
- integrity, impartiality, accountability and honesty;
- seek continuously to improve the quality of the services we provide;
- promote equality of opportunity in all that we do;
- value our employees;
- act in the spirit of openness and responsiveness;
- work with and learn from others;
- earn respect and trust in all that we do;
- foster a positive approach; and
- respect and support each other.
Resources
The Department has a total of 2,722 employees. Of these, 2,243 are located in Roads Service and 479 in policy divisions and support services.
The Department’s total Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) budget for 2007-08 is £811.8 million.
The Department's Role in Relation to Other Organisations
The Department has an important role in relation to each of these other seperate organisations.
Northern Ireland Water
PO Box 1023
Belfast BT1 9DG
The Water and Sewerage Services (NI) Order 2006 made provision for the establishment of a Government owned company for the future delivery of water and sewerage services. Prior to the Order, all the water and sewerage functions previously conducted by the Department under the Water Service Executive Agency were transferred to a new company, Northern Ireland Water (NIW), on 1 April 2007. NIW acts as the statutory water and sewerage undertaker and operates under licence.
NIW is entirely owned by the Government. It is intended to operate at arms length from central government structures and enjoy flexibility associated with a more commercial business. It is planned to become a completely self-financing organisation by the end of this decade. Northern Ireland Water’s Board is appointed by the Minister. While the Department, as shareholder, sets strategic objectives for the business, it does not seek to become involved in day-to-day operational matters or in respect of commercial issues.
Phone: Waterline 0845 744 0088
Text phone: 0845 702 3206
E-mail: customerservices@niwater.com
Website: www.niwater.com
Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company (NITHCo)
22 Great Victoria Street
Belfast BT2 7LX
Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company (NITHCo) is a public corporation and the parent company of the publicly owned bus and rail companies in Northern Ireland (Northern Ireland Railways, Metro and Ulsterbus, all operating as Translink). The Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company statutory duties are to manage public transport properties and to oversee the activities of Translink.
The Department appoints the chairman and members of the NITHCo board. They are appointed following a public competition and serve for a defined period. The appointments are made in line with guidance published by the Office of the Commissioner of Public Appointments (Northern Ireland).
The Department is responsible for determining NITHCo’s performance framework against the Department’s wider strategic aims and objectives and for monitoring the extent to which targets are achieved.The Department also provides financial assistance to Translink through the payment of grants and subsidies in accordance with Government Accounting procedures. It is also responsible for ensuring the appropriate and sufficient financial and management controls are in place and that compliance with those controls is effectively monitored.
Phone: 028 9024 3456
Fax: 028 9033 1165
Website: www.translink.co.uk/nithco
Northern Ireland Trust Ports:
The Department appoints the chairmen and members of the trust ports at Belfast, Londonderry and Warrenpoint. They are appointed following a public competition and serve for a defined period. The appointments are made in line with guidance published by the office of the Commissioner of Public Appointments (Northern Ireland). The Department also appoints the Donaghadee Harbour Commissioners.
Belfast Harbour Commissioners
Corporation Square
Belfast BT1 3AL
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.
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
Harbour office
Port Road
Lisahally
Londonderry
BT47 6FL
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.
Phone: 028 7186 0555
Fax: 028 7186 1168
E-mail: info@londonderry-port.co.uk
Website: www.londonderryport.com
Warrenpoint Harbour Authority
Warrenpoint
Co. Down
BT34 3JR
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.
Phone: 028 4177 3381
Fax: 028 4175 2875
E-mail: info@warrenpointharbour.co.uk
Website: www.warrenpointharbour.co.uk