COMMITTEE FOR CULTURE, ARTS AND LEISURE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
TUESDAY, 24 JULY 2007
SENATE CHAMBER, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present: Mr Barry McElduff MLA (Chairperson)
Mr David McNarry MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Francie Brolly MLA
The Lord Browne MLA
Mr Kieran McCarthy MLA
Mr Nelson McCausland MLA
Mr Pat Ramsey MLA
Mr Ken Robinson MLA
In Attendance: Mr Alan Patterson (Principal Clerk)
Mrs Linda Gregg (Clerk)
Mr Neil Currie (Assistant Clerk)
Miss Mairéad Higgins (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Alister Strain (Clerical Officer)
Apologies: Mr Dominic Bradley MLA
Mr Paul Maskey MLA
Mr Jim Shannon MLA
The meeting opened at 10.35am in closed session.
1. Format of the meeting
The Committee discussed the purpose and format of the evidence session with the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure on the proposed multi-sports stadium.
10.46am. The meeting moved into public session.
2. Briefing by the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure on the proposed multi-sports stadium
Minister Edwin Poots joined the meeting at 10.46am, accompanied by the following officials:
Paul Sweeney – Permanent Secretary, Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure
Tony Whitehead – Strategic Investment Board, Adviser to the Department of Culture,
Arts and Leisure on the proposed multi-sports stadium
The Minister updated the Committee on the development of the proposed multi-sports stadium. This was followed by a question and answer session.
The Committee requested copies of correspondence submitted by the GAA and the Community Relations Council setting out their views on the three shortlisted sites, as referred to in the assessment of shortlisted sites section of the PricewaterhouseCoopers Economic Appraisal Final Report, August 2005. Mr Whitehead advised that he would need to obtain permission from the GAA and the Community Relations Council before sending the correspondence to the Committee.
The Chairperson thanked the Minister and officials for the briefing.
The Minister and officials left the meeting at 12.16pm.
Agreed – The Committee agreed to write to the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure requesting that he meet with the Committee again to update it on the multi-sports stadium issue. The meeting would be a single item meeting which should take place as soon as practicable, once the Committee had received the final economic appraisal and final business plan. Before this meeting takes place, the Committee agreed to hold a special meeting to look at strategies in preparation for the meeting with the Minister.
Agreed – The Committee agreed that the letter to the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure should ask him to consult with the Committee before submitting a paper to the Executive Committee setting out his recommendations in respect of the proposed multi-sports stadium.
Agreed – The Committee agreed to write to the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure requesting information on the Strategic Investment Board, namely its legal status, accountability arrangements and remuneration of Board Members.
3. Draft minutes of the meeting held on 5 July 2007
The draft minutes of 5 July 2007 were not formally agreed and have been deferred to the next meeting of the Committee.
4. Matters arising
Members were advised that there is currently no provision for joint Committees. The Procedures Committee is looking at this issue within the remit of its current inquiry.
5. Distribution of monies to Windsor Park/Linfield FC
Agreed – The Committee agreed to defer to the next meeting, consideration of the response from the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure in relation to the distribution of monies to Windsor Park/Linfield FC.
6. Any other business
The Committee referred to a response from the Minister on implications for the progress of the Libraries Bill resulting from a delay in dismantling the Education and Library Boards.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to the Minister and invite him to meet the Committee to clarify his position on this issue.
7. Date and time of next meeting
Agreed: The Committee agreed that, unless a meeting needed to be called earlier to discuss the multi-sports stadium issue, the next meeting will be on Thursday
6 September 2007 at 10.30am in Room 152, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.26pm.
Mr Barry McElduff MLA
Chairperson, Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure
6 September 2007