Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure

Budget Report

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

THURSDAY 20 JANUARY 2011
SENATE CHAMBER, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
Mr Barry McElduff MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Declan O’Loan MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Lord Browne MLA
Mr David Hilditch MLA
Mr Kieran McCarthy MLA
Mr Ken Robinson MLA

Apologies:
Mr Thomas Burns MLA
Mr William Humphrey MLA
Mr Billy Leonard MLA
Mr David McClarty MLA
Mr Pat Sheehan MLA

In attendance:
Ms Lucia Wilson (Clerk)
Miss Emma Patton (Assistant Clerk)
Mr Jonathan Lamont (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Chris Baird (Clerical Officer)

The meeting opened at 10.40 a.m.

5. Consideration of Department’s Savings Plans

The Committee considered the Department’s Savings Plans.

The Committee considered the memo and research paper on ‘Preventative Spending’.

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

The Committee noted the memo from the Committee for Finance and Personnel on the extension of the deadline for Committees’ responses to DFP on their Departments Budgets.

The Committee considered the Clerks memo on the Department’s spending and saving plans.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department requesting that Members are given assurances that the Committee is given advance notice of the publication of key documents such as the budget .

6. Briefing from the ICTU regarding impact of budget 2011 – 2015 spending and savings plan

The Committee considered ICTU’s briefing paper.

The following representatives joined the meeting at 12.14 p.m.

Drew McFarlane, National Organiser, Scotland & NI (Equity)
Clare Moore, Education Officer (Congress)

The representatives briefed the Committee on their concerns regarding the impact of the Budget 2011-2015 on the Arts.

A question and answer session followed.

The representatives left the meeting at 12.40 p.m.

7. Briefing from NI Theatre Association regarding the impact of budget 2011 – 2015 spending and savings plan

The Committee considered the Northern Ireland Theatre Association’s briefing paper.

The following representatives joined the meeting at 12.41 p.m.

Stephen Beggs, NITA Chairperson & Manager Bruiser Theatre Co.
Eimear Henry, NITA Treasurer & Executive Director Replay Theatre Co.
Paula McFetridge, NITA Board Member & Artistic Director Kabosh Theatre Co.

The representatives briefed the Committee on their concerns regarding the impact of Budget 2011-2015 on the Arts.

A question and answer session followed.

The representatives left the meeting at 1.03 p.m.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to respond to the Committee for Finance and Personnel by 26 January 2011 on Budget 2011-2015.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1.10 p.m.

Mr Barry McElduff, MLA
Chairperson, Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure
27 January 2011

(EXTRACT)