MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF THE
COMMITTEE FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
FRIDAY 23 MARCH 2001
HELD IN ROOM 135 PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
1. Update on the Foot and Mouth Disease Outbreak
2. Minutes of Proceedings on 16 March 2001
3. Matters arising from the meeting on 16 March 2001
4. Statutory Rules
5. Fisheries Issues
6. Executive Programme Funds - Bids submitted by DARD
7. Finance and Personnel Committee Inquiry
8. Draft Regional Development Strategy
9. New TSN Action Plan
10. DARD Equality Statement
11. EU Structural Funds
12. CAL Committee Report on Inland Fisheries in Northern Ireland
13. Any Other Business
14. Date of Next Meeting
Present:
Dr IRK Paisley MP MEP(Chairman)
Mr G Savage
Mr B Armstrong
Mr J Dallat
Mr B Douglas
Mr D Ford
Mr G Kane
Mr G McHugh
Mr I Paisley Jnr
Apologies:
Mr PJ Bradley
In attendance:
Mr P Moore
Mr B Kennedy
Mr J McCourt
The Chairman called the meeting to order in Public Session at 10.00am.
1. Update on the Foot and Mouth Disease Outbreak.
1.1. The Chairman welcomed the Minister and DARD officials Mr Pat Toal (Under Secretary) and Mr Bob McCracken (Chief Veterinary Officer). The Chairman invited the Minister to make a statement.
1.2. The Minister made a short statement on the current position in relation to the outbreak, including the recent outbreak in the Republic of Ireland, the action be taken to prevent the disease spreading and the possibility of some imported sheep being unaccounted for.
Mr Douglas attended the meeting at 10.02am.
1.3. Following the Minister's statement, members asked questions covering the Minister's meeting with the Prime Minister, regionalisation for Northern Ireland, the closing of the Border to stop the disease re-entering Northern Ireland, the restrictions in place at the ports and the setting up of a sub-committee by the Minister to look at the present situation we are in, how we reached this point and the aftermath when the disease has been eradicated.
1.4. The Chairman thanked the Minister and her accompanying officials, and they left at 10.50am.
The Chairman adjourned the meeting at 10.50am. The meeting resumed at 10.58am with the Chairman and Messrs Armstrong, Douglas, Kane and Savage.
2. Minutes of Proceedings on 16 March 2001.
2.1. Resolved: that the draft Minutes of Proceedings for 16 March 2001 were approved.
3. Matters arising from the meeting on 16 March 2001.
3.1. Correspondence. Members noted the Deputy Chairman's letter to the Speaker on his wish to hear their views with regards to his St Patrick's Day reception, the letter to the Prime Minister on Light Dues and the letter to the Friends of the Earth representatives thanking them for their presentation.
Mr Dallat and Mr Paisley Jnr returned to the meeting at 11.03am.
3.2. Committee Inquiry on the Rural Development Programme. Members noted the letters issued to the relevant organisations to seek submissions to the Inquiry.
3.3. Meeting with LMC on 27 April 2001. It was reported to members that the Chief Executive of the LMC had requested a different date for the LMC's evidence session with the Committee. The Committee deliberated.
Resolved: that the Committee could not change the date for two reasons. Firstly, members wished to hold two evidence sessions on one day and the Minister had agreed to meet the Committee on 27 April 2001. Secondly, the Committee had already agreed to business on possible alternative dates. It was also resolved, however, that the Committee would meet earlier than usual, if that would accommodate the LMC.
Mr McHugh returned to the meeting at 11.08am.
3.4. LMC Inquiry. Members were informed that, to date, five requests had been received from members of the public for guidance on submitting written evidence.
3.5. Rural Development Inquiry: Members were advised that the press release had been issued and the public notice was in the press that day.
4. Statutory Rules.
4.1. Milk and Milk Products (Pupils in Educational Establishments)Regulations (NorthernIreland) 2001.
4.2. Resolved: that the Committee agreed that the Department should proceed to make the Rule. The Committee also agreed to issue a letter to the Education Committee and the Health and Social Services and Public Safety Committee informing them of the above Rule and seeking their assistance in promoting the Scheme.
4.3. Foyle Area and Carlingford Area (Tagging and Log Book) Regulations 2001, Foyle Area (Angling) Regulations 2001 and Foyle Area and Carlingford Area (Close Seasons for Angling) Regulations 2001.
4.4. Resolved: that as the above three Statutory Rules fall within the remit of the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure, the Committee agreed that all three Rules should be considered by that Committee.
The Committee was informed by the Clerk that the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure had agreed to do so.
4.5. The Sea Fish (Specified Sea Areas) (Regulation of Nets and Other Fishing Gear) Order 2001 and The Prohibition of Fishing with Multiple Trawls Orders 2001.
4.6. Members noted these Orders, as they are not required to be laid before the Northern Ireland Assembly.
4.7. Statutory Rules - Examiner's report
4.8. Members noted a report from the Examiner of Statutory Rules on the Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001, Less Favoured Area Compensatory Allowances Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001, The Pig Industry Restructuring (Capital Grant) Scheme (Northern Ireland) 2001 and The Pig Industry Restructuring (Non-Capital Grant) Scheme Order (Northern Ireland) 2001, which had all been approved by the Committee recently.
Members noted the comments the Examiner passed on each of the Rules.
4.9. Fisheries and Aquaculture Structures (Grants) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001.
4.10. Members agreed to invite Officials from the Department to the meeting on 30 March 2001, to discuss the draft Statutory Rule.
4.11. Proposed Seed Potatoes Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001.
4.12. Members agreed to invite Officials from the Department to the meeting on 30 March 2001 to discuss the results of the consultation and proposals for a Statutory Rule.
5. Fisheries Issues.
5.1. Members deliberated on their letter to the Minister, the reply received from the Minister and also correspondence received from the Anglo-North Irish Fish Producers Organisation Ltd.
5.2. Resolved: that the Chairman and Deputy Chairman should arrange a short meeting with the Minister on the morning of Monday 26 March 2001 to discuss emergency payments to fishermen and to encourage her to make a case for compensation immediately.
6. Executive Programme Funds - Bids submitted by DARD.
6.1. Members noted a letter received from DARD outlining the range of bids they have applied for and also the amount applied for in respect of each bid. Members also considered a paper summarising their previous comments on items covered by each bid.
Mr Dallat left the meeting at 11.44am.
6.2. Resolved: that the Committee's reply to the Minister should express the following points.
- The Committee's full support for the bid under the Service Modernisation Fund, having previously welcomed the announcement of the Minister's intention to undertake the review of the DARD/QUB Link.
- The support for bids under the Social Inclusion/Community Regeneration Fund, having encouraged the Department previously to secure extra funding to maximise the Leader+ Programme (and also the priority of Leader+ over the Cross Border bid).
- The support for bids under the New Direction Fund, but expressing the view that Organic Farming should take precedence over the bid for Integrated Food Information & Learning Centre.
The Committee also expressed the view that the letter should include the need for more funding and also acknowledge that no bids had been entered for the implementation of an early retirement or new entrant scheme.
7. Finance and Personnel Committee Inquiry into the value of Public and Private Partnerships.
7.1. Members were presented with a letter from the Chairman of the Finance and Personnel Committee requesting their comments. They were also presented with the Terms of Reference for the Inquiry and a document regarding the Inquiry from the Assembly Research Department.
7.2. Resolved: that the Committee should note the documents provided but submit no comments as DARD has no involvement in Public and Private Partnerships or Private Finance Initiatives agreements in relation to the financing of public sector services and infrastructure.
Mr Dallat returned to the meeting at 11.55am.
8. Draft Regional Development Strategy.
8.1. Members considered papers including a copy of the draft Regional Development Strategy for Northern Ireland 2025 entitled "Shaping our Future", a letter from the Chairman of the Regional Development Committee requesting the Committee's comments on the document and a paper from the Assembly Research Department.
Mr Armstrong left the meeting at 12.05pm.
8.2. Members deliberated.
The Chairman left the meeting at 12.11pm and the Deputy Chairman took the chair.
8.3. Resolved: that the Committee agreed the context of their reply to the Chairman of the Regional Development Committee on the draft document, including their support for the five Strategic Planning Guidelines which are presented in respect of rural Northern Ireland and the inclusion of a chapter dedicated to the Rural Community. The reply should also include the Committee's concern about an apparent contradiction between strict planning regulations and economic diversification objectives
9. New TSN Action Plan.
9.1. Members were presented with a paper from the Department updating them on the New TSN Action Plan.
9.2. Resolved: that members would pass any views they have on the paper to the Committee Clerk.
10. DARD Equality Statement.
10.1 Members were presented with a paper from the Department updating them on their Equality Scheme, which was formally approved by the Equality Commission on 20 March 2001.
10.2 Resolved: that members would pass any views they have on the paper to the Committee Clerk.
11. EU Structural Funds.
11.1. Members were presented with a paper from the Department, which gave a short summary of each measure within the Northern Ireland Programme for Building Sustainable Prosperity (formerly the Transitional Objective 1 Programme) and the Peace II Programme.
11.2. Resolved: that members would pass any views they have on the paper to the Committee Clerk.
12. CAL Committee Report on Inland Fisheries in Northern Ireland.
12.1. Members noted the recommendations from the Report which were of most relevance to the Committee.
Mr Ford returned to the meeting at 12.28pm.
13. Any Other Business.
13.1. Foot and Mouth outbreak: Members discussed the current situation regarding the Foot and Mouth outbreak. Most of the discussion centred around the increasing reports of members of the public coming back into Northern Ireland through the ports and reporting no, or lack of, precautions being in place to stop the disease re-entering Northern Ireland
Resolved: that the Committee should write to the Minister thanking the Minister for her update that morning but also expressing the Committee's concerns with regards to the ever increasing reports from the members of the public about the measures in place at the ports. The letter should also seek an update from the Minister of the measures in place and others which could be put in place, including more radical measures which would at least be available should members of the public wish to avail of them.
14. Date of Next Meeting.
14.1. Resolved: that the next meeting would take place on Friday 30 March 2001 at 10.00am in Room 135, Parliament Buildings.
The Deputy Chairman brought the meeting to a close at 12.38pm.
Ian R K Paisley
Chairman