COMMITTEE FOR THE OFFICE OF THE FIRST MINISTER AND DEPUTY FIRST MINISTER
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2008
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT bUILDINGS
Present:
Naomi Long (Deputy Chairperson)
Martina Anderson
Tom Elliott
Dolores Kelly
Barry McElduff
Stephen Moutray
Jim Shannon
Jimmy Spratt
Jim Wells
In Attendance:
Damien Martin (Assembly Clerk)
Antonia Hoskins (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Lynda Mulholland (Clerical Supervisor)
Marion Johnson (Clerical Assistant)
The meeting opened at 2.04 p.m. in public session
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Apologies
Danny Kennedy, Francie Molloy.
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Chairperson’s Business
Consumer Council
The Clerk briefed Members on an interesting and useful discussion with Mr Brian Pomeroy, Chair of the Treasury’s Financial Inclusion Taskforce, at a dinner hosted by the Consumer Council. The Committee agreed to seek a submission to the Committee’s inquiry regarding the role of financial inclusion and financial capability in tackling poverty.
- Draft minutes of the meeting held on 30 January 2008
The minutes of proceedings for Wednesday 30 January 2008 were agreed by the Committee.
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Matters Arising
Review of Public Administration (RPA)
The Committee noted the response received from the Department of Education regarding the level of savings to be realised under RPA in the Education Sector. Members requested that OFMDFM provide further information and clarity on the timetable for implementing RPA and for delivering savings under RPA.
Integrated Development Fund (IDF)
Members discussed the response from OFMDFM on the IDF and requested clarification on the funding and delivery of projects, previously funded by IDF such as ILEX.
Mr McElduff joined the meeting at 2.20 p.m.
Members also agreed to draw the response to the attention of relevant statutory committees for their consideration.
- Child Poverty Inquiry
The Committee considered the itinerary for next week’s meeting in Dungannon
and agreed to issue a press release in advance of the meeting.
The Deputy Chairperson asked Members to declare any relevant interests in advance of hearing oral evidence, as part of the Child Poverty Inquiry; none were declared.
Oral evidence session with the Institute of Public Health in Ireland
Representatives from the Institute of Public Health joined the meeting at 2.26 p.m.
Members took oral evidence from Dr Jane Wilde and Dr Helen McAvoy, representing Institute of Public Health . A question and answer session followed. The Deputy Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending.
Hansard recorded the evidence session for publication in the Committee’s report.
Representatives from the Institute of Public Health left the meeting at 2.52 p.m.
Representatives from Eastern Health and Social Services Board and Southern Health and Social Services Board joined the meeting at 2.54 p.m.
Oral evidence session with Eastern Health and Social Services Board (EHSSB) and Southern Health and Social Services Board (SHSSB)
Members took oral evidence from John Duffy, a representative from EHSSB and Sean McKeever and Fionnuala McAndrew, representatives from SHSSB . A question and answer session followed. The Deputy Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending.
Hansard recorded the evidence session for publication in the Committee’s report.
Representatives from Eastern Health and Social Services Board and Southern Health and Social Services Board left the meeting at 3.34 p.m.
Representatives from Rural Community Network joined the meeting at 3.35 p.m.
Oral evidence session with Rural Community Network
Members took oral evidence from Karin Eyben and Raymond Craig, representatives from the Rural Community Network . A question and answer session followed. The Deputy Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending.
Hansard recorded the evidence session for publication in the Committee’s report.
Representatives from Rural Community Network left the meeting at 4.02 p.m.
Representatives from Barnardo’s joined the meeting at 4.04 p.m.
Oral evidence session with Barnardo’s
Members took oral evidence from Fiona McMillan and Mary Anne Webb, the representatives from Barnardo’s . A question and answer session followed. The Deputy Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending.
Hansard recorded the evidence session for publication in the Committee’s report.
Barry McElduff left the meeting at 4.12 p.m.
Representatives from Barnardo’s left the meeting at 4.23 p.m.
- February Monitoring Round
A departmental official from OFMDFM joined the meeting at 4.27 p.m.
Jackie Kerr (Finance Director), briefed the Committee on the Department’s February monitoring position. The Committee considered the proposals for easements and internal reallocations within OFMDFM to be declared by the Department in the February Monitoring Round.
Jackie Kerr left the meeting at 4.50 p.m
Following discussion, the Committee agreed to write to the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister seeking further information on the affect of the proposed surrender of resources from the ILEX project, Equality and Human Rights and Sustainable Development.
- Forward Work Programme
Members were briefed by the Clerk on the Committee’s Forward Work Plan.
The Committee agreed that the proposals from OFMDFM on the Public Authority Reform Bill could be copied to other relevant committees to prevent delay.
Members agreed that, subject to early receipt of the paper on the Prerogative Order from OFMDFM, the paper should be forwarded to the Commissioner for Public Appointments to obtain her views on the issue, prior to a briefing by OFMDFM.
Members expressed concern regarding progress in the implementation of Sustainable Development Strategy and agreed to request a progress report from OFMDFM for consideration by the Committee after the Easter recess.
Members agreed to seek information on the progress on the Shared Future and Racial Equality Strategies and Action Plans, also for consideration by the Committee after the Easter recess.
The Committee was advised that the First Minster and deputy First Minister are due to attend the Committee in March to discuss victims’ issues and OFMDFM’s delivery plans.
Members sought clarification on the position of the business case for Maze/Long Kesh.
In relation to the Child Poverty Inquiry, Members agreed to write, through the relevant statutory committees, to departments seeking details of any assessments that have been carried out in relation to the impact of water charges, rates and public transport costs on child poverty.
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Correspondence
Letter from the Coalition of Aid and Development Agencies (CADA)
The Committee agreed to forward to the First Minister and deputy First Minister for comment, a letter from the Coalition of Aid and Development Agencies.
Letter from the Northern Ireland Anti Poverty Network
The Deputy Chairperson advised Members that she had received a request for a meeting with the Northern Ireland Anti Poverty Network and that she would be making arrangements for thismeeting in the next few weeks. She asked other Members who would wish to attend to indicate their interest to the Clerk.
Cloona Child Contact Centre
The Committee noted correspondence from Cloona Child Contact Centre and agreed to forward the letter to the Committee for Social Development and the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety. The Committee also agreed to seek a view from the Junior Ministers on good practice on the resourcing of cross cutting programmes.
Members expressed concern about the future of programmes previously funded through the Children and Young People’s Funding Package and the Children’s Fund and requested as a matter of urgency, clarification on their position.
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Date of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 13 February 2008 at 2.00 p.m. in Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council Chamber.
The Deputy Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 5.04 p.m.