Northern Ireland Assembly Flax Flower Logo

COMMITTEE FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
TUESDAY 10 FEBRUARY 2009
ROOM 152, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
Tom Elliott (Deputy Chairperson)
P J Bradley
Thomas Burns
Trevor Clarke
Willie Clarke
William Irwin
Francie Molloy
Edwin Poots
George Savage

In attendance:
Paul Carlisle (Clerk to the Committee)
Emma Patton (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Frank Geddis (Clerical Supervisor)
Kathy Gunduza (Clerical Officer)

Apologies:
Dr William McCrea (Chairperson)

The meeting opened at 1.35am in Closed Session , Mr Elliott in the Chair .

1. Presentation – DARD Update on dioxins contamination

Bert Houston and Liam McKibben, department officials joined the meeting at 1.35pm and updated Committee on the current situation in regards to the dioxins contamination. Following the presentation, Members asked questions.

Francie Molloy left the meeting at 1.55pm.
Willie Clarke left the meeting at 2.00pm.

The officials left the meeting at 2.15pm.

The meeting moved into Open Session at 2.15pm.

2. Apologies

As above

3. Minutes

The Committee agreed the Minutes of the meeting of 3 February 2009.

4. Matters arising

(a) Correspondence Issued

The Committee noted the correspondence issued since the meeting of 3 February 2009.

The Committee noted correspondence issued to the department in respect of the Diseases of Animals Bill arising from the meeting of 27 January 2009.

(b) Correspondence received

The Committee noted the correspondence received since the meeting of 3 February 2009.

The Committee noted correspondence from the Minister in respect of re-scheduling of oral questions.

The Committee noted correspondence from the Clerk to the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister in respect of the Executive responses to the Barroso Taskforce and the Committee’s Child Poverty Report. Members agreed to take a presentation from the Department on the matter at a future meeting.

The Committee noted correspondence from the department detailing imports from Bluetongue restricted areas.

The Committee noted correspondence from the Clerk to the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure seeking the department input into their Inquiry into the funding of the arts in Northern Ireland.

The Committee noted a copy of the departmental consultation in respect of the Rural Anti Poverty and Social Inclusion Framework.

The Committee noted correspondence from the department stating that they are unable to extend the number of offices to which applications from the Farm Modernisation Programme can be submitted.

The Committee noted the comments in the Examiner of Statutory Rule’s Ninth report.

(c) Tabled correspondence

The Committee noted the department’s response to Committee amendments of the Diseases of Animals Bill, arising from the meeting of 3 February 2009.

The Committee noted tabled correspondence from Committee Member, Mr Thomas Burns in relation to possible discussions with the Oireachtas Committee in Dublin regarding recent dioxin contamination.

Mr Burns proposed that the Committee conduct a visit to the Houses of the Oireachtas, to discuss the dioxin contamination with the Joint- Agriculture Committee.

Mr Poots proposed that the Committee undertake a short inquiry into the dioxins contamination scare, which may necessitate taking evidence from the Department of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries in Dublin.

Mr Burns’ proposal:

Ayes: Thomas Burns, PJ Bradley and Willie Clarke

Noes: Tom Elliott, George Savage, Edwin Poots, Trevor Clarke and William Irwin.

Mr Poots’ proposal:

Ayes: Trevor Clarke, Willie Clarke, Tom Elliott, William Irwin, George Savage and Edwin Poots

Noes: 0

Abstentions: PJ Bradley and Thomas Burns

5. Committee Stage – Formal Scrutiny of the Diseases of Animals Bill

Jennifer Corkey, Colette Connor and Pat Millen, joined the meeting at 2.30pm and presented to Committee on a number of outstanding issues relating to clause 4 – Powers of Entry and Clause 11 – Deliberate Infection of the Diseases of Animals Bill.

Thomas Burns left the meeting at 2.35pm.

Question put and agreed, ‘That the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development recommends to the Assembly that clause 4 be amended as agreed between the Committee and the department and that the Committee agrees to the text of the amendment’.

Question put and agreed, ‘That, subject to confirmation from the Minister of State for Northern Ireland, the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development recommends to the Assembly that clause 11 be amended as agreed between the Committee and the Department and that the Committee agrees to the text of the amendment.’

Question put and agreed, ‘That the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development is content with Long title as drafted’.

A draft copy of the Committee Report on the Disease of Animals Bill detailing the clause by clause scrutiny of the report was tabled at the meeting. The Committee agreed that once Members had considered the report and any further amendments made that a manuscript of the report would be laid in the Business Office of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the report be published. Members agreed to forward a copy of the published report to the Minister.

The officials left the meeting at 2.44pm.

6. Presentation – Ballylaw Farmers Group

Malcolm Mutch, Ernie Colhoun, Eric Lindsay and Derek Donnell, representatives of the Ballylaw Farmers Group joined the meeting at 2.46pm and presented to Committee on a numbers of issues currently affecting the Farming Community. Following the presentation, Members asked questions.

William Irwin declared an interest.

George Savage declared an interest.

Thomas Burns joined the meeting at 3.00pm.

Willie Clarke left the meeting at 3.03pm.

Willie Clarke rejoined the meeting at 3.04pm.

The representatives left the meeting at 3.16pm.

7. Presentation – DARD – PFG Actions and PSA Targets

John Smith, department official joined the meeting at 3.17pm and made a presentation on DARD’s Programme for Government Actions and Public Service Agreement Targets. Following the presentation, Members asked questions.

William Irwin left the meeting at 3.30pm.
Thomas Burns re-joined the meeting at 3.33pm.
William Irwin rejoined the meeting at 3.35pm
The official left the meeting at 3.46pm.

8. Presentation – DARD – Belfast Lough Cockle Fisheries

Ian Humes, department official, joined the meeting at 3.46pm and updated Committee on the present situation in relation to cockle fishing in Belfast Lough. Following the presentation, Members asked questions.

Thomas Burns rejoined the meeting at 3.47pm.

The official left the meeting at 4.01pm.

9. SR- The Local Government (Constituting a Joint Committee) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009

Question put and agreed, “The Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development has considered The Local Government (Constituting a Joint Committee) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2009 and has no objection to the rule”.

10. Future Presentations

The Committee Clerk briefed Members on the future business of the Committee. It was agreed to proceed as proposed.

11. AOB

The Committee Clerk briefed Members on the scheduling of several proposed dates for Committee visits.

12. Date of the next meeting

The next Committee meeting will be held on Tuesday 17 February 2009 at 1.30pm in Room 152, Parliament Buildings.

The meeting was adjourned at 4.06pm.

Chairperson

Date

03 February 09 / Menu