COMMITTEE FOR THE OFFICE OF THE FIRST MINISTER AND DEPUTY
FIRST MINISTER

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 9 MARCH 2011
ROOM 30, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
Mr Tom Elliott (Chairperson)
Ms Martina Anderson
Mr Alan Bresland
Mr William Humphrey
Mrs Dolores Kelly
Mr Danny Kinahan
Mr Barry McElduff
Mr Francie Molloy
Mr George Robinson
Mr Jimmy Spratt

Apologies:
Dr Stephen Farry

In Attendance:
Mrs Cathie White (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Keith McBride (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Marion Johnson (Clerical Officer)
Miss Andrienne Magee (Clerical Officer)

The meeting opened in public session at 2.05 p.m.

1. Apologies

As above.

2. Chairperson’s Business

Declaration of Interests

The Chairperson sought any declarations of interest from Members in relation to items of business being discussed.

Meeting with Save the Children

The Chairperson advised Members that he and the Clerk met with representatives from Save the Children last week, during which Save the Children raised a number of concerns in relation to the Child Poverty Strategy.

Mr McElduff joined the meeting at 2.07 p.m.

Meeting on 16 March 2011

The Chairperson advised Members that he, the Deputy Chairperson and the Clerk will be in Washington next week for a number of meetings and advised that the Committee would therefore need to appoint a temporary Chairperson.

Mr Robinson proposed Mr Spratt be appointed temporary Chairperson for the meeting of 16 March 2011. Mr McElduff seconded the proposal.

Agreed: That Mr Spratt is appointed temporary Chairperson for the meeting of 16 March 2011.

Meeting on 23 March 2011

Members discussed the date of the last Committee meeting and whether to hold the meeting on 22 or 23 March 2011.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to hold its last meeting on Wednesday 23 March 2011.

Child Poverty Strategy

The Chairperson advised Members that a copy of the Child Poverty Strategy was received shortly before the meeting and is therefore tabled. The Chairperson advised Members that Departmental officials are available to brief the Committee on the draft Strategy at today’s meeting and will make themselves available for next week’s meeting if Members wish to consider the Strategy further.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to receive a briefing on the draft Strategy at today’s meeting.

3. Draft minutes of the meeting held on 2 March 2011

Agreed: The draft minutes of proceedings of 2 March 2011 were agreed by the Committee.

4. Matters Arising

Committee for Finance and Personnel

The Committee considered correspondence from the Committee for Finance and Personnel concerning the consultation on the draft Budget 2011-15 and requesting a copy of any report that the Department has completed in relation to the consultation exercise.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to request a copy of any Report it had completed on its consultation on its draft Budget 2011-15 proposals.

Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment

The Committee considered responses from the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment on the abolition of the Sustainable Development Commission and on the Executive’s discussion paper on European Engagement.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the responses to the Department for their consideration. The Committee also agreed to forward a copy of the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment’s response on the Executive’s discussion paper on European Engagement to the Assembly’s Director of Engagement.

Agreed: The Committee also agreed to forward a response from the First Minister and deputy First Minister concerning the Presbyterian Mutual Society to the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment.

The Committee also noted a number of matters arising:

Response from the Department concerning victims and Survivors

Responses from the Committee for Social Development to the Executive’s discussion paper on European Engagement and providing information on its activity on European issues.

Response from the Committee for Finance and Personnel on the Executive’s discussion paper on European Engagement.

Response from the Ilex Urban Regeneration Company regarding the Report on the Review of Ilex.

Responses from the Secretary of State and the Commission for Victims and Survivors on “Dealing with the Past”.

A copy of the Northern Ireland Community Relations Council’s submission to the draft Budget 2011-15.

A response from the Department providing a copy of the Legislative Consent Memorandum in relation to the Public Bodies Bill.

5. Correspondence

Legislative Consent Motion – Public Bodies Bill

The Committee considered correspondence from the Committee for Social Development concerning the Legislative Consent Motion – Public Bodies Bill.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the correspondence to the Department for comment.

Camowen Partnership

The Committee considered correspondence from the Camowen Partnership concerning funding issues in relation to childcare provision.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the correspondence to the Department for comment.

6. Beyond Belfast Report

Representatives from the Northern Ireland Community Relations Council, the Rural Community Network and the Institute for Conflict Resolution joined the meeting at 2.18 p.m.

Mr Molloy joined the meeting at 2.24p.m.

Mrs Kelly joined the meeting at 2.30 p.m.

Ms Anderson joined the meeting at 2.33 p.m.

Mr Duncan Morrow and Ms Bebhinn McKinley from the Community Relations Council, Mr Michael Hughes from the Rural Community Network and Mr Neil Jarman from the Institute for Conflict Resolution briefed the Committee on the Beyond Belfast Report. A question and answer session followed.

Representatives from the Northern Ireland Community Relations Council, the Rural Community Network and the Institute for Conflict Resolution left the meeting at 3.20 p.m.

7. Proposals to Reform the Office of the Ombudsman

A Researcher from the Assembly’s Research and Library Service briefed the Committee on their Research paper on issues raised during the Committee’s consultation on the proposals.

Mr Molloy left the meeting at 3.24p.m.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that due to the limited amount of time available to the Committee before dissolution, that it would put this issue in the Committee’s Legacy Report for the next Committee to decide if it wishes to take this forward.

Mrs Marie Anderson and Mr John MacQuarrie from the Office of the Northern Ireland Ombudsman joined the meeting at 3.38 p.m.

Mrs Marie Anderson and Mr John MacQuarrie from the Office of the Northern Ireland Ombudsman briefed the Committee on the Office of the Ombudsman’s response to issues raised following the Committee’s consultation on the proposals.

Mrs Marie Anderson and Mr John MacQuarrie from the Office of the Northern Ireland Ombudsman left the meeting at 3.51 p.m.

The Chairperson advised Members that he had to leave the meeting and that a temporary Chairperson needed to be appointed.

Mr Robinson proposed Mr Spratt as temporary Chairperson. Mrs Kelly seconded the proposal.

Agreed: That Mr Spratt assumes the role of temporary Chairperson.

Mr Elliott left the meeting at 3.51 p.m.

8. Child Poverty Strategy

Departmental officials joined the meeting at 3.55 p.m.

Departmental officials Mr Joe Reynolds and Ms Orla Heatley briefed the Committee on the Child Poverty Strategy. A question and answer session followed.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to request that officials attend next week’s meeting to answer questions on the Child Poverty Strategy and therefore allow Members time to consider the document.

Departmental officials left the meeting at 4.07 p.m.

9. Forward Work Programme

The Committee noted the Forward Work Programme for the rest of March 2011.

10. Any Other Business

No other business.

11. Date, time and place of next meeting

The next meeting will be held in Room 30 on Wednesday 16 March 2011 at 2 p.m.

• The temporary Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.10 p.m.

Mr Francie Molloy MLA
Temporary Chairperson,
Committee for the Office of the First Minister
and deputy First Minister

02 March 11  / Menu