COMMITTEE FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
TUESDAY 3 MARCH2009
ROOM 152, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Dr William McCrea (Chairperson)
Tom Elliott (Deputy Chairperson)
Trevor Clarke
Willie Clarke
Pat Doherty
William Irwin
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:
P J Bradley
Thomas Burns
The meeting opened at 1.33pm in Public Session.
1. Apologies
As above.
2. Matters arising
(a) Correspondence issued
The Committee noted the correspondence issued since the meeting of 24 February 2009.
(b) Correspondence received
The Committee noted the correspondence received since the meeting of 24 February 2009.
Pat Doherty joined the meeting at 1.40pm.
3. Minutes
The Committee agreed the Minutes of the meeting of 24 February 2009.
4. Presentation – DARD’s Response to Committee for Office of the First and deputy First Minister’s Barroso Report
Liam McKibben and Damien Kerr, departmental officials, joined the meeting at 1.35pm and presented to Committee on DARD’s response to the Committee for the Office of the First and deputy First Minister’s Barroso Report. Following the presentation, Members put questions.
Tom Elliott joined the meeting at 1.36pm.
George Savage joined the meeting at 1.37pm.
Edwin Poots joined the meeting at 1.43pm.
George Savage left the meeting at 2.01pm.
The officials left the meeting at 2.01pm.
5. Presentation – DARD – Programme for Government and PSA Targets
Colette McMaster, Harry Gracey, Roly Harwood, Stuart Morwood and Pat Aldridge, departmental officials, joined the meeting at 2.01pm and presented to Committee on a number of issues relating to Programme for Government and PSA Targets. Following the presentation, Members put questions.
George Savage joined the meeting at 2.05pm.
Pat Doherty left the meeting at 2.36pm.
Tom Elliott joined the meeting at 2.54pm.
Officials left the meeting at 3.06pm.
6. Presentation – DARD – Pre-consultation on CAP Healthcheck Agreement
Norman Fulton and Mark McClean, departmental officials, joined the meeting at 3.06pm and made a presentation on the above mentioned pre-consultation. Following the presentations, Members agreed that officials should return and present to Committee with an analytical summary of the consultation responses.
Pat Doherty joined the meeting at 3.15pm.
Officials left the meeting at 3.17pm.
7. Presentation – DARD – Pre- consultation on New EU Rules to Safeguard the Welfare of Meat Chicken (Broilers)
Colette Connor, Paddy McGuckian and John Terrington, departmental officials, joined the meeting at 3.17pm and made a presentation on the above mentioned pre-consultation. Following the presentations, Members agreed that officials should return and present to Committee with an analytical summary of the consultation responses.
8. Future Presentations
The Committee Clerk briefed Members on the future business of the Committee. It was agreed to proceed as proposed.
9. AOB
The Committee were reminded of the meeting and visit to CAFRE – Loughry Campus and a visit to the Rural College, Draperstown on Thursday 19 March.
The Committee agreed that the Committee would submit a response to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food’s Review of Dioxin Contamination Incident.
The Committee agreed to write to Commissioner Boel detailing the concerns about the export refunds and milk prices.
10. Date of the next meeting
The next Committee meeting will be held on Thursday 19 March 2009 at 10.00am in CAFRE – Loughry Campus.
The meeting was adjourned at 3.45pm.
Chairperson
Date