COMMITTEE FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

TUESDAY 11 DECEMBER 2007
ROOM 152, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present: Dr William McCrea MP (Chairperson)
Tom Elliott (Deputy Chairperson)
P J Bradley
Allan Bresland
Thomas Burns
Trevor Clarke
Willie Clarke
William Irwin
George Savage

In attendance: Paul Carlisle (Clerk to the Committee)
Jim Beatty (Assistant Clerk)
Mary Hawthorne (Clerical Supervisor)
Kathy Neill (Clerical Officer)

Apologies: None

The meeting opened at 1.30pm in Public Session.

1. Apologies

As above.

2. Minutes of last meeting

The Committee agreed the Minutes of the meeting of 4 December 2007.

3. Matters arising

a. Correspondence Issued

The Committee noted the correspondence issued following the meeting of 4 December 2007.

Mr Irwin joined the meeting at 1.32pm.

b. Correspondence received

The Committee noted the correspondence received since the meeting of 20 November 2007.

The Committee agreed to a request to make a presentation from the Ulster Farmers Union.

4. Ministerial Briefing

The Minister, Michelle Gildernew MP, and Department officials, Dr Malcolm McKibben, Liam McKibben, Pauline Keegan, Ian McKee and John Speers joined the meeting at 1.34pm and briefed the Committee on a range of issues.

Mr Elliott joined the meeting at 1.36pm.
Mr Burns joined the meeting at 1.42pm.
Mr Savage joined the meeting at 1.43pm.

The Minister and the officials answered questions from the members.

Mr W Clarke left the meeting at 2.07pm.

It was agreed that the Clerk would write to the Department with outstanding questions. The Minister and officials left the meeting at 2.25pm.

Mr Burns left the meeting at 2.25pm.

5. SL1 – Inshore Fishing (Prohibition of Fishing Methods) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2008

Averill Gaw, Kenny Parker and Greg Griffiths, Department officials, joined the meeting at 2.26pm and gave a presentation on the proposed legislation.

Mr W Clarke rejoined the meeting at 2.32pm.

The officials answered questions from the members. A decision on the proposed legislation was deferred until the Committee received further information from the Department.

The officials left the meeting on 2.49pm.

6. SL1 – (a) The Animal Products (Import and Export) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2007 (b) The Blue Tongue Order (NI) 2007

Ian McKee, Jackie Robinson and Thomas Craig, Department officials, joined the meeting at 2.50pm and gave a presentation on the proposed legislation. The officials answered questions from the members.

The Committee agreed to the proposed legislation.

7. Pre-Consultation – A System of Administrative Penalties for Fisheries Offences

The Committee considered the Department’s proposed consultation exercise and had no objection.

8. Pre-Consultation – Control of Salmonella in Poultry Regulations (NI) 2008

The Committee considered the Department’s proposed consultation exercise and had no objection.

9. Mourne National Park

The Committee considered the request for a response to the Working Party report. It was agreed to seek the views of the Department before making a formal response.

Mr Irwin left the meeting at 3.04pm.

10. AOB

The Committee noted the paper from Mr Patterson, Clyde Fishermen.

The Committee noted receipt of copies of the Diseases of Animals Order (NI) 1981

The Committee was advised of the visit of representatives from the Rural Development sub-committee of the Welsh Assembly on Tuesday, 18 December 2007. Members were invited to join a meeting with the representatives.

11. Date of Next Meeting

The Committee will next meet at 1.30pm on Tuesday, 8 January 2008 in Room 152, Parliament Buildings.

The meeting was adjourned at 3.09pm.

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Chairperson