COMMITTEE FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 3 SEPTEMBER 2008
ROOM 152, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present: Dr William McCrea (Chairperson)
Tom Elliott (Deputy Chairperson)
P J Bradley
Allan Bresland
Trevor Clarke
William Irwin
Francie Molloy
George Savage
In attendance: Paul Carlisle (Clerk to the Committee)
Paul Gill (Assembly Clerk)
Mary Hawthorne (Clerical Supervisor)
Kathy Gunduza (Clerical Officer)
Apologies: Thomas Burns
Willie Clarke
The meeting opened at 11.05 am 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 3 July 2008.
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Matters arising
Correspondence received
The Committee noted the correspondence received from the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development
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Presentations – impact of flooding on the agricultural community
Gerry Lavery (DARD), Dr John Speers (DARD), Jim Crummie (DARD), Philip Mehaffey (Rivers Agency) and David Porter (Rivers Agency) joined the meeting at 11.10 am and made a presentation on the issue of the flooding of 15 and 16 August and their subsequent response. The officials then answered questions from Members.
William Irwin joined the meeting at 11.15am.
William Irwin left the meeting at 12.16pm.
William Irwin rejoined the meeting at 12.21pm.
Ulster Farmers’ Union
Graham Furey, Harry Sinclair and Wesley Ashton of the Ulster Farmers’ Union joined the meeting at 12.50pm and made a presentation on the impact of flooding on farms in August 2008. The representatives answered questions from Members.
Tom Elliott left the meeting at 13.19pm
Farmers affected by the flooding
Derek McKinney, Ivor McKinney, Harry Hughes, Robert Magowan and Roland Wilson joined the meeting at 1.26 pm and made a presentation on how they as farmers had personally been affected by the flooding of 15 and 16 August. The farmers then answered questions from the Members.
Tom Elliott rejoined the meeting at 13.29pm.
Francie Molloy left the meeting at 13.49pm.
Further to these presentations, the Committee agreed that the Department urgently prepare a compensation package for the Executive’s approval based on the suggestions of the Ulster Farmers’ Union.
PJ Bradley left the meeting at 13.59pm.
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Committee Procedures
It was agreed that this item should be considered at the next meeting.
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Future Business
It was agreed that this item should be considered at the next meeting.
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AOB
The Committee noted that the Second Stage of the Diseases of Animals Bill is to be debated in Plenary on 15 September 2008 and that the Bill Office will provide Members with procedural advice on this stage of the Bill at the meeting of 9 September. The Committee agreed that this should be conducted in closed session
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Date of Next Meeting
The Committee will next meet at 1.30pm on Tuesday, 9 September 2008 in Room 152, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting was adjourned at 14.03pm.
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Chairperson
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Date