CONCURRENT MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE FOR FINANCE
AND PERSONNEL AND THE COMMITTEE FOR REGIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY, 18 FEBRUARY 2009
SENATE CHAMBER, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Fred Cobain MLA (Chairperson)
Simon Hamilton MLA
Dr Stephen Farry MLA
Jennifer McCann MLA
David McNarry MLA
Declan O’Loan MLA
Ian Paisley Jnr MLA
Peter Weir MLA
Alastair Ross MLA
Brian Wilson MLA
Cathal Boylan MLA
John McCallister MLA
Raymond McCartney MLA
Willie Clarke MLA
Allan Bresland MLA
In Attendance:
Roisin Kelly (Assembly Clerk)
Shane McAteer (Assembly Clerk)
Colin Jones (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Paula Sandford (Clerical Supervisor)
Chris McCreery (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Fra McCann MLA
Mitchel McLaughlin MLA
Adrian McQuillan MLA
Dawn Purvis MLA
John Dallat MLA
George Robinson MLA
Jim Wells MLA
The meeting commenced at 1.35 pm in open session.
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Chairperson’s Business
Agreed: that the meeting will continue in open session.
Agreed: that the evidence from the Economic Research Institute of Northern Ireland (ERINI) will be covered by Hansard and the Official Report published on the Assembly website.
Members noted the current draft of the ERINI paper, which had been classified by ERINI as strictly embargoed until further notice. It was noted that ERINI intended to publish the paper within two to three days and that a copy of the paper had been passed by ERINI to the Department of Finance and Personnel for information.
Members noted the provisions in Standing Order 64B detailing the procedures for committees sitting concurrently.
Mr Weir left the meeting at 1. 38 pm.
Mr Hamilton left the meeting at 1. 38 pm.
Mr Boylan left the meeting at 1.40pm
Mr Boylan re-joined the meeting at 1.41pm
3. Paper on Mitigating the Recession – Options for the Northern Ireland Executive: Evidence from ERINI
Members took evidence from Victor Hewitt, Director, ERINI. The session was recorded by Hansard.
Mr McCartney left the meeting at 2.32pm
4. Any Other Business
Agreed: that, given the cross-cutting aspects of the evidence, the ERINI paper and the finalised Official Report will be forwarded to the other statutory committees and to the Assembly and Executive Review Committee, once the paper is published by ERINI.
Agreed: that the draft minutes of proceedings will be cleared by the respective chairpersons and published in the normal way.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 2.53 pm.