COMMITTEE OF THE CENTRE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS:
WEDNESDAY 28 MARCH 2001
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
1. Apologies
2. Chairperson's Business
3. Approval of Draft Miniutes FROM PREVIOUS PROCEEDINGS
4. Matters Arising
5. Correspondence
6. Children's Commissioner Programme
7. Evidence From OFMDFM
8. Any Other Business
9. Date and Time of Next Meeting
Present:
Mr Edwin Poots MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Roy Beggs Jnr MLA
Mrs Eileen Bell MLA
Mr Fred Cobain MLA
Mrs Annie Courtney MLA
Dr Alasdair McDonnell MLA
Mr Alex Maskey MLA
Mr Conor Murphy MLA
Mr Ken Robinson MLA
Mr Jim Shannon MLA
In Attendance:
Mr Hugh Farren (Committee Clerk)
Ms Stella McArdle (Committee Clerk)
Mrs Gillian Lewis
Ms Laurie Roberts
Apologies:
Dr Esmond Birnie MLA
Mr David Ervine MLA
Ms Michelle Gildernew MLA
Mr James Leslie MLA
Ms Patricia Lewsley MLA
Mr Eugene McMenamin MLA
The meeting opened at 2:17pm in closed session.
1. Apologies
The apologies are listed above.
2. Chairperson's Business
(A) Response to Enterprise, Trade and Investment (ETI) Committee on Strategy 2010 Inquiry: The members agreed their response to the letter from the ETI Committee.
2.20pm PUBLIC SESSION
3. Approval of draft minutes from previous proceedings
The minutes from the previous meeting were agreed and signed by the Chairperson
4. Matters arising
The Chairperson informed the members that the Norwegian Ombudsman, Mr Trond Waaga, has accepted the Committee's invitation to make a presentation to the members. It was agreed to hold an additional meeting on the morning of Friday, 11 May 2001 in the Senate Chamber to hear evidence from Mr Waaga.
The Chairperson also advised the members that the Chair of the Welsh Health Committee, Ms Kirsty Williams AM, would attend the Committee meeting on Wednesday, 9 May 2001.
(A) The Committee noted the written submission from the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.
(B) The Committee also noted the paper from the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.
5. Correspondence
(A) Letter from Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) on the Draft Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (Commencement No 7) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001: The Committee noted the letter informing the Committee of the OFMDFM proposal to make a Commencement Order relating to the carrying of guide dogs in taxis under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
6. Children's Commissioner for Northern Ireland Inquiry - Child Care NI
I. Evidence from Save the Children, Children's Law Centre, Barnardos and Playboard
The evidence session started at 2.22pm. Evidence on the different aspects of a possible remit of a Children's Commissioner for Northern Ireland was taken from Mrs Mary Cunningham, Child Care NI, Dr Paula Rodgers, Save the Children, Ms Paddy Kelly, Children's Law Society, Ms Margaret Kelly, Barnardos and Ms Caroline Mills, Playboard.
Mr Cobain joined the meeting at 2.29pm.
Mr Robinson joined the meeting at 2.32pm.
Mrs Bell joined the meeting at 2.36pm.
Mrs Courtney joined the meeting at 2.47pm.
Mr Murphy left the meeting at 2.55pm.
Dr McDonnell joined the meeting at 2.58pm.
The representatives left the meeting at 3.18pm.
Mr Cobain left the meeting at 3.21pm.
II. Evidence from Include Youth, National Deaf Children's Society, Southern Travellers Early Years Partnership and NSPCC
The evidence session started at 3.21pm. Evidence on the various aspects of the role and remit of a Children's Commissioner for Northern Ireland was taken from Ms Koulla Yiasouma, Include Youth, Ms Pauline Walker, National Deaf Children's Society, Ms Jacquie Kilfeather, Southern Travellers Early Years Partnership, and Mr Colin Reid, NSPCC.
Mrs Bell left the meeting at 4.05pm.Dr McDonnell left the meeting at 4.30pm.
The representatives left the meeting at 4.30pm
7. Evidence from OFMDFM on Subordinate Legislation under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 - Consultation
The evidence session started at 4.31pm. Evidence was taken on the Subordinate Legislation under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 consultation from Mr Chris Stewart, Head of Community Relations, Human Rights & Victims Units, Ms Heather Stevens, member of Human Rights Unit and Ms Clare McGivern, member of Legal Services from the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister.
Mr Stewart agreed to provide further information to the Committee on how many surveillance operations undertaken in the past few years would have been admissible under the proposed legislation, and why details of the possible use of surveillance powers for Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission were not given in the consultation document, nor has an Equality Impact Assessment been done for this Commission. The Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission is a cross-border body and Mr Stewart undertook to inform the Committee on the way in which this will affect the legislation and if there will be a match in legislation in the Republic of Ireland.
Action: Clerk
8. Any other business
As Victims issues fall into the remit of the Committee of the Centre under the Equality Unit, the Chairperson drew to the attention of the members a Motion tabled by the OFMDFM for consideration in the Assembly on Tuesday, 3 April 2001 at approximately 10.30am. The wording of the Motion is:
'That this Assembly welcomes the inclusion of a specific measure for victims in the European Peace II Programme'.
9. Date and time of next meeting
It was agreed that the next meeting of the Committee would be on Wednesday, 4 April 2001 at 2.00pm in the Great Hall, Magee College, Londonderry.
The meeting was adjourned at 4.47pm.
Councillor Edwin Poots MLA
Chairperson, Committee of the Centre
4 April 2001
21 March 2001 / Menu / 4 April 2001