COMMITTEE FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
TUESDAY 6 NOVEMBER 2007
ROOM 152 PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Dr William McCrea MP (Chairperson)
Tom Elliott (Deputy Chairperson)
P J Bradley
Allan Bresland
Thomas Burns
Willie Clarke
Trevor Clarke
William Irwin
Gerry McHugh
Francie Molloy
George Savage
In attendance:
Paul Carlisle (Clerk to the Committee)
Joe Sloan (Assistant Clerk)
Mary Hawthorne (Clerical Supervisor)
Kathy Neill (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
None
The meeting opened at 1.30pm in Public Session.
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Apologies
As above.
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Minutes of last meeting
The Committee agreed the Minutes of the meeting of 25 October 2007.
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Matters arising
(a) Correspondence Issued
The Committee noted the correspondence issued following the meeting of 25 October 2007.
(b) Correspondence received
The Committee noted the correspondence received since the meeting of 25 October 2007.
Mr McHugh joined the meeting at 1.32 pm.
The Committee noted the Department’s response in relation to the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety’s inquiry into the prevention of suicide and self harm. The Committee agreed to write to Rural Support to request a summary of the issues facing the farming industry which has led to suicides and self harm in the agricultural community. The Committee agreed that it would consider the summary as part of a formal response to the HSS&PS Committee’s request for written submissions.
Mr Bradley joined the meeting at 1.35 pm
Mr Molloy joined the meeting at 1.38 pm
The Committee noted the Department’s response to queries regarding LEADER + and to take this into account as part of its consideration of this matter later in the agenda.
The Committee noted the proposal by the Department to undertake consultation on its draft SR "The Mussels (Prohibition of fishing) Regulations 2007".
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Ministerial update
The Minister, Michelle Gildernew MP, and her departmental officials Malcolm McKibbin (Permanent Secretary) Ronnie Jordan, (Deputy Secretary), and Liam McKibben (Assistant Secretary) and Bert Houston (Chief Veterinary Officer) , joined the meeting at 1.44pm and provided the Committee with an update on Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), Blue Tongue Disease and Brown Rot .
Mr Burns joined the meeting at 1.45pm
The Minister and her officials also briefed the Committee on the Red Meat Task Force report, and meetings the Minister has had with the European Union Commission on fishing.
Mr Burns left the meeting at 2.32 pm
The Minister and her officials left the meeting at 3.10 pm.
Members agreed to write to the Department on it’s intentions in relation to the call for the abolition of the Agricultural Wages Board, the absence of consultation with the Committee on proposals for clustering LEADER groups and the Department’s assessment of its legal position in light of a legal challenge by the Cavan / Monaghan LEADER group in its jurisdiction against amalgamation of LEADER groups there.
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Fishing industry issues
Representatives of the Northern Ireland fishing industry Paul Kerr (NI Seafood Ltd) and Trevor McKee (NI Fish Producers Organisation) joined the meeting at 3.12 pm and gave a presentation on the Advisory Committee on Fishery Management’s report on stock levels in the North and Irish Seas and the recommendation that there should be a further reduction in the days at sea.
Mr Burns rejoined the meeting at 3.17pm.
Mr Molloy left the meeting at 3.25 pm
Mr McHugh left the meeting at 3.40 pm
Mr Burns left the meeting at 3.43 pm
The representatives answered questions from the members and left the meeting at 4.01 pm.
The Committee agreed to request that the scientists presenting data on fish levels in the Irish Sea for use by Europe to set quotas should be asked to attend a Committee meeting. The Committee also agreed to ask the Department to fund research for independent scientists to evaluate the counter assessment of fishing levels as presented by the industry representatives.
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Draft Budget 2008-11
The Committee considered a letter from the Committee for Finance and Personnel (CFP) commissioning views of the Assembly Statutory Committees on the draft budget allocations for their respective departments. The CFP intends to produce a report to the Minister of Finance and Personnel delivering the responses of the Committees.
The Committee agreed to request briefing on the draft budget proposals from the Department at its meeting on 13 November 2007 and to seek the views of the Ulster Farmers’ Union. The Committee aims to provide a response to CFP following its meeting on 20 November 2007.
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LEADER +
The Committee noted responses from 7 Councils and 1 LEADER group from the Coleraine area in response to its letter seeking views on the new arrangements for delivering LEADER programmes.
Members agreed to provide any additional questions for the Department to be provided to the Clerk.
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The Pesticides (Maximum Residue Levels in Crops, Food and Feeding Stuffs) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2007
Departmental officials Peter Scott and Linda Meldrum joined the meeting at 4.03 pm and briefed the Committee on the proposals contained in the statutory rule. The officials answered questions
Members noted the proposals.
The officials left the meeting at 4.10 pm.
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Examiner of Statutory Rules report
The Committee noted the report by the Examiner of Statutory Rules who has brought a minor error in the Agriculture (Student fees) statutory rule to the attention of the Department.
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Correspondence
The Committee noted a letter from Mr Clarke regarding the Rivers Agency practice of lowering water levels in Lough Erne and agreed to pass the letter to the Department for a response.
The Committee also agreed to ask the Department why levels decrease so quickly at the time stated by Mr Clarke.
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Date of Next Meeting
The Committee will next meet at 1.30pm on Tuesday, 13 November 2007 in Room 152, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting was adjourned at 4.12 pm.
Chairperson
Date