COMMITTEE FOR CULTURE, ARTS AND LEISURE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY 27 JANUARY 2011
THE SPINNING ROOM, MOSSLEY MILL, NEWTOWNABBEY

Present:
Mr Barry McElduff MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Declan O’Loan MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Lord Browne MLA
Mr Thomas Burns MLA
Mr David Hilditch MLA
Mr Kieran McCarthy MLA
Mr Ken Robinson MLA
Mr Pat Sheehan MLA

Apologies:
Mr William Humphrey MLA
Mr Billy Leonard MLA
Mr David McClarty MLA

In attendance:
Ms Lucia Wilson (Clerk)
Miss Emma Patton (Assistant Clerk)
Mr Jonathan Lamont (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Chris Baird (Clerical Officer)

The meeting opened at 10.48 a.m.

Alderman Paula Bradley, Mayor of Newtownabbey, welcomed the Committee to Mossley Mill.

1. Apologies

The apologies are noted above.

2. Committee Press Release of 20 January 2011

Lord Browne, seconded by Mr Hilditich, proposed that the Committee retract the statement and in light of further information, the Committee to consider putting forward a new statement.

The Committee divided: Ayes 3; Noes 5.

Ayes: Lord Browne, Mr Hilditch, Mr Robinson.

Noes: The Chairperson, the Deputy Chairperson, Mr Burns, Mr McCarthey, Mr Sheehan

3. Draft Minutes of 20 January 2011

Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the Committee meeting of

20 January 2011.

4. Matters arising

The Committee considered the letter from the Department in relation to the Committee’s Review into the Value and Impact of museums.

Agreed: Members agreed to invite the organisations who had submitted to the Review, the brief the Committee.

The Committee noted the letter from the Minister in relation to the 2011 National Famine Commemoration.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to deter consideration of the letter to next week’s meeting.

The Committee noted the letter from the Department in relation to the Odyssey Trust Company.

The Committee considered to the letter from the Department in relation to ‘ Memorandum of Understanding – Response to post-pollution’.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Minister requesting that the Committee is provided with the final draft of the MOU at the same time that it is made available to DCAL for consideration.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the NIEA to ask how its reduced resources could affect the progression and implementation of the MOU and in particular, how it could affect DCAL’s ‘Inland Fisheries’.

The Committee considered the response from the Minister of Communications Energy and Natural Resources regarding RTÉ and TG4 availability on Freeview and coverage in the North.

Agreed : The Committee agreed to write to RTÉ in relation to the regional

coverage of RTÉ transmission.

5. Assembly Research Services briefing regarding draft museum policy and cultural rights

Members considered the tabled research paper entitled ‘ Analysis of Museums Policy – Consultation Responses’.

Dr Dan Hull briefed the Committee on ‘Analysis of Museums Policy – Consultation Responses’.

A question and answer session followed.

Members considered the research paper entitled ‘ Heritage and Cultural Rights: International Standards’.

Dr Dan Hull briefed the Committee on ‘Heritage and Cultural Rights: International Standards’.

A question and answer session followed.

6. Briefing from Department regarding Draft Museum Policy – consultation responses

The Committee considered the following papers:

Committee Office memo.

Departmental Briefing paper. Summary of consultation responses.

Consultation document.

The following officials joined the meeting at 11.52a.m

Mick Cory – Director of Sports, Museums and Recreation - DCAL

Stephen McGowan - DCAL Official

David Polley - DCAL Official

Mr Hilditch declared an interest as he is a member of ‘ Mid-Antrim Museum Committee’ on Carrickfergus Borough Council.

Mr Robinson declared an interest as he is a councillor on Newtownabbey Borough Council.

The officials briefed the Committee on the Draft Museum Policy – consultation responses

A question and answer session followed.

Mr Burns left the meeting at 11.55 a.m.

The officials left the meeting at 12.20 p.m.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the research papers entitled, ‘Analysis of Museums Policy – Consultation Responses’ and ‘‘Heritage and Cultural Rights: International Standards’ to the Department for consideration in drafting the Museum’s policy.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department in relation to the

‘Cultural Rights’ section of the draft Museum’s policy.

7. Ministerial Briefing on the Olympics/Paralympics 2012

The Committee considered the following documents:

Clerk’s memo.

Departmentalbriefing paper from the Committee meeting held on 20 January 2011.

Hansard Transcript from the meeting of Committee meeting held on 20 January 2011.

Media Coverage -Press clippings following last week’s meeting.

Tabled letter from Minister in relation to the Committee’s Press Release of 20 January 2011.

Tabled Committee Committee’s Press Release of 20 January 2011.

The Minister and the following officials joined the meeting at 12.25 p.m

Mr Nelson McCausland, MLA – Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure

Mr Mick Cory – Director of Sports, Museums and Recreation - DCAL

Professor Eamonn McCartan, Chief Executive - SPORTNI

The Minister and the officials briefed the Committee

A question and answer session followed.

Mr McCarthy left the meeting at 12.37 p.m.

The Deputy Chairperson took the Chair at 1.00 p.m

The Chairperson resumed the Chair at 1.02 pm.

The Minister and officials left the meeting at 1.15p.m

Agreed: The Committee agreed to issue a press release supporting the Minister in his efforts to secure contracts for Olympic Teams who will participate in the 2012 games to use pre-game training camps in Northern Ireland.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to Jonathan Edwards CBE in relation to the Committee’s Press release issued on 20 January 2010.

Mr Sheehan left the meeting at 1.17 p.m.

8. Committee response to Budget 2011 – 2015 spending and savings plan

The Committee considered the draft Committee response to Budget 2011 – 2015 spending and savings plan .

Agreed: The Committee agreed the response, as amended, and issue it to the Department and the Finance and Personnel Committee.

9. Chairperson’s Business

Agreed: The Committee agreed to defer this agenda item to next week’s meeting.

10. Correspondence

Agreed: The Committee agreed to defer this agenda item to next week’s meeting.

11. Forward Work Programme

Agreed: The Committee agreed to deter this agenda item to next week’s meeting.

The Deputy Chairperson left the meeting at 1.25 p.m.

12. Any Other Business

Agreed: The Committee agreed to send a letter of condolence to the family of Bill Smith, Sports Journalist, recently deceased.

13. Date and time of next meeting

The next meeting of the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure will take place on Thursday 3 February 2011 at 10.30am Room 21, Parliament Buildings, Ballymiscaw.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1.30 p.m.

Mr Barry McElduff, MLA
Chairperson, Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure
3 February 2011

20 January 11 / Menu