COMMITTEE FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
TUESDAY 16 FEBRUARY 2010
ROOM 30, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:Mr Ian Paisley Jnr. (Chairperson)
Mr Tom Elliott MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Thomas Burns MLA
Mr Willie Clarke MLA
Mr Pat Doherty MP MLA
Mr William Irwin MLA
Dr William McCrea MP MLA
Mr Patsy McGlone MLA
Mr Francie Molloy MLA
Mr George Savage MLA
Mr Jim Shannon MLA
In attendance: Mr Paul Carlisle (Clerk to the Committee)
Mrs Shauna Mageean (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr Mark O’Hare (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Michael McCoy (Clerical Officer)
Mr Christopher Shanks (Work Experience Student)
Apologies: None
1.39pm The meeting commenced at in Open Session
1. Apologies
As above
2. Minutes
Agreed: The Committee agreed the Minutes of the meeting of 9 February 2010
3. Matters arising
(a) Correspondence issued
The Committee noted the correspondence issued since the meeting of 9 February 2010.
(b) Correspondence received
The Committee noted the correspondence received since the meeting of 9 February 2010.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the new EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Dacian Ciolos inviting him to meet the Committee.
Agreed: The Committee noted correspondence received from the Committee for the Environment in relation to strategic planning delays and agreed to forward any comments to the Committee Support Office.
Agreed: The Committee noted correspondence received from other Assembly Committees requesting that correspondence be forwarded to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and agreed that the Committee Support Office should forward said correspondence.
Agreed: The Committee noted correspondence received from organisations seeking to present to the Committee and agreed to issue invitations for dates to be scheduled by the Clerk.
1.43pm Mr Irwin entered the meeting
4. Presentation: British Association for Shooting and
Conservation – Views on the Animal Welfare Bill
1.46pm The following representatives joined the meeting
Roger Pollen – Director
Robert Crofts - Chairman of BASC Gamekeeping Advisory Committee
Tom Blades - Head of Game & Gamekeeping at BASC
The representatives presented to Committee in respect of the above. Following the presentation, Members put questions.
1.49pm Mr Doherty entered the meeting
2.05pm Mr Molloy entered the meeting
2.20pm Mr Burns left the meeting
2.21pm Dr McCrea entered the meeting
Agreed: The Committee agreed to commission a research paper into fox numbers in Northern Ireland and a comparison with numbers in the Republic of Ireland and the UK
2.34pm The representatives left the meeting
2.35pm The meeting was adjourned
2.35pm The meeting was re-opened
5. Presentation: Countryside Alliance Ireland – Views on the Animal Welfare Bill
2.44pm The following representatives joined the meeting
Lyall Plant - Chief Executive, Countryside Alliance Ireland
Michael Watts - Honorary Secretary, Society of Greyhound Veterinarians
Dr Jaimie T A Dick - Reader in Behaviour and Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast
The representatives presented to Committee in respect of the above. Following the presentation, Members put questions.
2.50pm Mr Savage rejoined the meeting
3.01pm Mr McGlone entered the meeting
3.02pm The representatives left the meeting
6. Presentation: DARD – Consultation on the Dog Control Bill
3.03pm The following departmental officials joined the meeting
Dr Mark Browne - Grade 3 - Under Secretary;
Colette McMaster - Grade 5 - Assistant Secretary;
John Terrington - Grade 7 - Principal Officer;
Martin Mooney - DP - Deputy Principal
The officials presented to Committee in respect of the above. Following the presentation, Members put questions.
3.05pm Dr McCrea left the meeting
3.06pm Dr McCrea rejoined the meeting
3.18pm Mr Burns left the meeting
Mr Elliott declared an interest
3.33pm Mr Savage left the meeting
3.35pm Mr Molloy rejoined the meeting
Mr Irwin declared an interest
3.39pm Mr Savage rejoined the meeting
3.40pm Mr Burns rejoined the meeting
Mr Clarke declared an interest
3.50pm Mr Irwin left the meeting
3.58pm Mr McGlone left the meeting
Mr Molloy declared an interest
4.00pm Mr Shannon entered the meeting
4.04pm Mr Irwin rejoined the meeting
4.11pm Mr Burns left the meeting
4.11pm Mr Savage left the meeting
4.13pm The officials left the meeting
7. Pre-consultation: The African Horse Sickness Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010
Agreed: The Committee agreed that officials should present to Committee when a detailed analysis of responses has been undertaken
8. SL1: The Scrapie (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010
Agreed: The Committee agreed the above mentioned legislation should proceed to the next stage.
9. SL1: The Horse Racing (Charges on Bookmakers) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010
Agreed: The Committee agreed the above mentioned legislation should proceed to the next stage.
10. SL1: The Horse Passport ( Northern Ireland) Regulations 2010
Agreed: The Committee agreed the above mentioned legislation should proceed to the next stage.
11. AOB
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward a response to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s consultation on the options for the EU Dairy Fund favouring Option 1 for distribution of the payments.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department regarding the reduction in funding to the Northern Ireland Ploughing Association
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Committee Support Office should continue preparations for participation in the Balmoral Show on 13 May 2010.
12. Date of the next meeting
The next Committee meeting will be a meeting for clause by clause scrutiny of the Forestry Bill at 12.30pm on Monday 22 February 2010 in Room 30, Parliament Buildings.
4.25pm The meeting was adjourned
Mr Ian Paisley Jnr.
Chairperson, Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development