COMMITTEE FOR CULTURE, ARTS AND LEISURE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 27 SEPTEMBER 2007
ROOM 152, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present: Mr Barry McElduff MLA (Chairperson)
Mr David McNarry MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Francie Brolly MLA
The Lord Browne MLA
Mr Paul Maskey MLA
Mr Nelson McCausland MLA
Mr Pat Ramsey MLA
Mr Ken Robinson MLA
Mr Jim Shannon MLA
Apologies: Mr Kieran McCarthy
Mr Ken Robinson
In Attendance: Mr Alan Patterson (Principal Clerk)
Mrs Linda Gregg (Clerk)
Dr Kathryn Bell (Assistant Clerk)
Miss Mairéad Higgins (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Alister Strain (Clerical Officer)
Mr Denis Arnold (Bill Office)
Witnesses: Mr Billy McCartney – North Eastern Education and Library Board
Ms Anne Connolly – North Eastern Education and Library Board
Mr Gordon Topping – North Eastern Education and Library Board
Ms Patricia McKeown - UNISON
Mr Jonathon Swallow - UNISON
Mr John Corey - NIPSA
Ms Alison Millar - NIPSA
Ms Mary McVeigh - NIPSA
The meeting opened at 10.36am in public session.
1. Draft minutes of the meeting held on 20 September 2007.
Agreed – the draft minutes were agreed as amended.
2. Matters arising
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to the Speaker to raise the issue of Hansard being resourced to cover all of its public meetings.
The Chair advised members that the ‘Per cent for art’ principle would be discussed at the meeting of 11 October 2007, once the Research Service paper has been received.
The Chair advised members that the correspondence from the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister on the Sustainable Development Strategy would be discussed at next week’s meeting.
The Chair advised members that the correspondence from the Fisheries Conservancy Board on its two new proposed policies would be discussed at next week’s meeting.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to accept the invitation from the Belfast Education and Library Board to visit the Central Library, Belfast. The Committee asked the Clerk to inquire as to whether a Committee meeting could be incorporated into the visit.
3. Chairperson’s business
The Chair advised members that the Clerk and he gave a presentation at a training event on 26 September 2006 organised by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure. The purpose of the event was to provide the Department’s Non-Departmental Public Bodies with information on working with the Assembly Committees.
The Chair advised members that he attended the Chairpersons Liaison Group meeting on 17 September 2007, and that he would provide a written update at next week’s meeting.
The Chair advised members that he attended a Voluntary Arts Ireland event hosted by Minister Poots in Parliament Buildings on 17 September 2007.
The Chair advised members that he attended a reception hosted by Minister Poots in Parliament Buildings for the UK Board of the Big Lottery Fund on 24 September 2007.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to ask that he give the Committee advance notification of any launches or events he was planning to attend.
4. Libraries Bill (NIA Bill 5/07)
Members declared the following interests:
Mr Barry McElduff (Chair) - Member of Western Education & Library Board
The North Eastern Education and Library Board gave oral evidence, in public, to the Committee on the Libraries Bill.
Mr Maskey left the meeting at 11.02am.
Mr Maskey rejoined the meeting at 11.06am.
Mr Maskey left the meeting at 11.13am.
UNISON gave oral evidence, in public, to the Committee, on the Libraries Board.
Mr McNarry left the meeting at 11.25am.
Mr McNarry rejoined the meeting at 11.35am.
Mr Ramsey left the meeting at 11.40am.
NIPSA gave oral evidence, in public, to the Committee, on the Libraries Bill.
Mr McCausland joined the meeting at 12.16pm.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to the five Education and Library Boards, UNISON and NIPSA to ask them for their estimates of start-up costs for the Library Authority.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to seek the assistance of Assembly Legal Services in relation to Schedule 2 of the Libraries Bill.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to ask for a breakdown of the estimated savings for the Library Authority and whether he was intending to review them. The Committee also agreed to query with the Minister as to why a Business Plan had not already been produced for the Library Authority.
The Chair advised members that Research Service will present a paper on the Libraries Bill on 18 October 2007.
The Chair advised members that the motion to extend Committee Stage of the Bill was agreed by the Assembly on 24 September 2007.
Agreed – the Committee agreed a list of issues to be forwarded to the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, in preparation for their officials giving evidence to the Committee at next week’s meeting.
5. Department’s proposed return on September monitoring
Agreed – the Committee agreed its response to the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure regarding its proposed return on September monitoring.
6. BBC Indigenous Minority Language consultation
Agreed – the Committee agreed its response to the BBC Indigenous Minority Language consultation, and that the response be published on the BBC Trust’s website.
7. Forward Work Programme
The Chair referred members to the forward work programme for September to December 2007.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to include presentations from Waterways Ireland and Ordnance Survey Northern Ireland in its forward work programme.
8. Correspondence
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to the Chief Executive Designate of the Library Authority seeking an update on recruitment of staff and progress on developing the sub-regional structure of the Library Authority.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure for clarification on how he will bring issues to the Assembly after he has brought them to the Executive.
9. Any Other Business
Agreed – the Committee agreed that the Committee Office would produce a summary of the statements made to the Committee, both in writing and during evidence sessions, regarding the four main political parties’ position on the Maze/Long Kesh Masterplan.
10. Date and time of next meeting
Agreed: The Committee agreed its next meeting will be held on Thursday 4 October 2007 at 10.30am in Room 152, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1.12pm.