COMMITTEE FOR THE OFFICE OF THE FIRST MINISTER AND DEPUTY FIRST MINISTER
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 27 February 2008
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT bUILDINGS
Present: Danny Kennedy (Chairperson)
Naomi Long (Deputy Chairperson)
Martina Anderson
Francie Molloy
Jim Shannon
Jimmy Spratt
Jim Wells
In Attendance:
Damien Martin (Assembly Clerk)
Antonia Hoskins (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Keith McBride (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Lynda Mulholland (Clerical Supervisor)
Marion Johnson (Clerical Assistant)
The meeting opened at 2.06 p.m. in public session
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Apologies
Tom Elliott, Dolores Kelly, Barry McElduff, Stephen Moutray.
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Chairperson’s Business
Appointment of Junior Minister
The Committee agreed to write to Mr Donaldson to offer the good wishes of the Committee in his new role and also to write to Mr Ian Paisley Jnr in relation to his efforts whilst in office.
Victims Commissioners
The Chairperson drew Members’ attention to a press release issued by OFMDFM in response to comments about limitations on the current activities of the Commissioners Designate. The Committee agreed to discuss the accelerated passage of the legislation, which is required to enable the four Commissioners to undertake their full duties, with Ministers on 5 March 2008.
Invitation to Ministers
The Chairperson advised that although no reply had been received to the Committee’s invitation to the First Minster and deputy First Minister to attend the Committee on 5 March 2008, he understood that the Ministers would be in attendance. The Committee agreed to hold the meeting in closed session.
Northern Ireland Association for Mental Health (NIAMH)
The Chairperson advised the Committee that he had received a request from the Northern Ireland Association for Mental Health to meet with the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson. The Committee agreed to write to NIAMH to seek further information on the role that they would see OFMDFM playing, before considering what level of involvement the Committee should have on the issue.
Sustainable Northern Ireland
The Chairperson briefed the Committee on his meeting with representatives from Sustainable Northern Ireland on Wednesday 20 February 2008. It was noted that Sustainable Northern Ireland welcomed the Committee’s intention to conduct a review of the process on sustainable development during the spring session.
Playboard
The Chairperson briefed the Committee on a meeting that he had with the Chief Executive of Playboard on Wednesday 20 February 2008. Members agreed to ask OFMDFM when the department proposes to bring forward a final and agreed play policy.
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Draft minutes of the meeting held on 20 February 2008
The minutes of proceedings for Wednesday 20 February 2008 were agreed by the Committee.
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Matters Arising
British Irish Council (BIC)
The Committee noted the response received from OFMDFM on the work of the British Irish Council and the communiqué following the most recent BIC meeting.
The Committee was advised that the First Minister had given an undertaking in the Assembly for officials to brief the Committee on an interim report on the Review of the British Irish Council Secretariat. Following discussion, Members highlighted the need for harmonisation of child protection arrangements on a North/South and East/West basis and agreed to write to OFMDFM on the matter.
Lifetime Opportunities
The Committee agreed to write to OFMDFM to advise that the Committee would expect to be consulted on proposals for the Lifetime Opportunities Strategy, in advance of the Executive’s consideration of the issue.
Junior Ministers’ Briefing
The Chairperson drew the Committee’s attention to the response from Junior Ministers regarding information on their work plan and outstanding information on funding allocated to children and young people within individual departments baselines.
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Child Poverty Inquiry
Research Paper
Ms Jane Campbell, Assembly Researcher, briefed the Committee on the measurement of severe and persistent child poverty and examined some of the current approaches to the measurement of child poverty used by government and others working in the area in the United Kingdom and indicated the complexities of measuring child poverty.
The Chairperson asked Members to declare any relevant interests in advance of hearing oral evidence, as part of the Child Poverty Inquiry. Members declared interests as follows:-
Mr Kennedy declared an interest as a Governor of Bessbrook Primary School and Newry High School;
Mrs Long declared an interest as a Governor of Sydenham Infant School and a member of the Interim Board of Governors for the amalgamation of Strand Primary School and Sydenham Infants School;
Mr Shannon declared an interest as a Governor of Glasty College;
Mr Spratt declared an interest as a member of South Eastern Education and Library Board and Governor of Moneyreagh Primary School and Lisnasharragh High School;
Mr Molloy declared an interest as a Governor of Edendork Primary School.
Oral evidence session with North Eastern Education and Library Board and Council for Catholic Maintained Schools
Representatives from North Eastern Education and Library Board and Council for Catholic Maintained Schoolsjoined the meeting at 2.55 p.m.
Members took oral evidence from Mr Gordon Topping and Mr Gilly Irwin representing the North Eastern Education and Library Board and Mr Jim Clarke representing the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools. A question and answer session followed. The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending.
Hansard recorded the evidence session for publication in the Committee’s report.
Representatives from North Eastern Education and Library Board and Council for Catholic Maintained Schoolsleft the meeting at 3.40 p.m.
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Public Appointments
The Commissioner for Public Appointments in Northern Ireland joined the meeting at 3.46 p.m.
The Commissioner for Public Appointments, Mrs Felicity Huston accompanied by Ms Denise Phillips and Ms Victoria Frazer briefed the Committee on proposals for a Prerogative Order on Public Appointments, on diversity in public appointments and on appointments to third party organisations. This was followed by a detailed question and answer session.
Ms Anderson left the meeting at 4.10 p.m.
The Commissioner for Public Appointments in Northern Ireland left the meeting at 4.20 p.m.
Departmental Officials joined the meeting at 4.22 p.m.
Departmental Officials, Deirdre Kenny, Wendy Hunter-Hill and Michael Ferguson from OFMDFM’s Central Appointments Unit answered questions from the Committee on proposals for a Prerogative Order on Public Appointments, on diversity in public appointments and on appointments to third party organisations. Members expressed concern at the number of quangos still in existence and agreed to raise this during the briefing on the Review of Public Administration scheduled for 12 March 2008.
Mr Spratt left the meeting at 4.32 p.m.
Departmental Officials left the meeting at 4.45 p.m.
Following discussion, Members expressed concern at the views of the Commissioner in respect of statutory nominations and agreed that statutory nominations have significant value in supporting accountability. Members did recognise that action will be required by the Commissioner, the Department and others to address diversity, including in relation to statutory nominations. The Committee agreed to write to the Commissioner and Department on this matter and to request further clarification on the reason for the inclusion of the Community Relations Council in the Prerogative Order.
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Correspondence
Letter from Southern Group Building Control Committee
Members noted the correspondence from Southern Group Building Control Committee regarding the Northern Ireland Sustainable Development Strategy.
Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission
Members noted the correspondence received from the Northern Ireland Office in response to a letter from the Committee, in relation to human rights issues.
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Date of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 5 March 2008 at 2.00 p.m. in Room 144. Members were advised that the meeting will commence in closed session.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.55p.m.