COMMITTEE FOR CULTURE, ARTS AND LEISURE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 4 OCTOBER 2007
ROOM 152, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present: Mr Barry McElduff MLA (Chairperson)
Mr David McNarry MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Dominic Bradley MLA
Mr Francie Brolly MLA
The Lord Browne MLA
Mr Paul Maskey MLA
Mr Kieran McCarthy MLA
Mr Nelson McCausland MLA
Mr Ken Robinson MLA
Mr Jim Shannon MLA
In Attendance: Mrs Linda Gregg (Clerk)
Dr Kathryn Bell (Assistant Clerk)
Miss Mairéad Higgins (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Alister Strain (Clerical Officer)
Apologies: Mr Pat Ramsey MLA
Witnesses: Mr Paul Sweeney – Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure
Ms Julie Mapstone – Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure
Mr Noel Kelly – Departmental Solicitors Office
The meeting opened at 10.37am in public session.
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Draft minutes of the meeting held on 27 September 2007.
Agreed – the draft minutes were agreed.
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Matters arising
The Chair referred members to the summary of references made to the four main political parties’ views on the Maze/Long Kesh Masterplan.
The Chair referred members to the response from the SDLP on its position on the Maze/Long Kesh Masterplan.
The Chair referred members to the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure’s forward work plan which covered the remainder of 2007.
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Chairperson’s business
The Chair advised members that Mr John Torney had taken over the position of Principal Clerk to the Committee.
The Chair advised members that he would provide a written summary of the outcome of the Chairpersons Liaison Group meeting of 17 September 2007 at the next meeting of the Committee.
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Libraries Bill (NIA Bill 5/07)
Members declared the following interests:
Mr Barry McElduff MLA (Chairperson) – Member of the Western Education and Library Board.
Mr Dominic Bradley MLA – Member of Newry Library.
Mr Nelson McCausland – Chairperson of the Library Committee, Belfast Education and Library Board.
Officials from the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, gave oral evidence, in public, to the Committee on the Libraries Bill.
Mr McNarry joined the meeting at 10.55am.
Mr McNarry left the meeting at 11.32am.
Mr Brolly left the meeting at 11.55am.
Mr Robinson joined the meeting at 11.56am.Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure to seek further information on the start-up costs and estimated savings associated with the Libraries Bill.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to NIPSA requesting a copy of the legal advice it received on Schedule 2 of the Libraries Bill.
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Correspondence
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to the Fisheries Conservancy Board on its responsibilities for the re-stocking of coarse fish and to ask for information about what plans are being put in place to cover this function when the Fisheries Conservancy Board is disbanded.
Mr McNarry rejoined the meeting at 12.00pm.
Mr Brolly rejoined the meeting at 12.00pm.Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure requesting copies of the 6 monthly progress reports submitted to the Sustainable Development Champion.
The Chair referred members to correspondence from the Central Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association on its position on the multi-sports stadium.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure, requesting that he obtain and forward to the Committee, copies of the interview notes between PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC) and the Community Relations Council and PWC and the Gaelic Athletic Association, in relation to these organisations’ views on the 3 short-listed sites for a multi-sports stadium.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to the Community Relations Council (CRC) for information on how PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC) consulted with it regarding its views on the 3 short-listed sites for a multi-sports stadium. Specifically, the Committee agreed to request details of who was consulted within the CRC, when they were consulted, and what views they put forward.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to Blue Piano Publishing inviting it to brief the Committee on the proposals for a Royalty Collection Agency for Northern Ireland.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to the Department of Finance and Personnel in relation to whether it has any plans to provide additional funding for sports and arts, given the amount of money that has been diverted from the Lottery budget to the 2012 Olympics.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure to ask whether it has any plans to deal with the loss of funding for sports and arts, given the amount of money that has been diverted from the Lottery budget to the 2012 Olympics.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to reply to U3A, informing them that the Committee had raised its concerns about the diversion of the Lottery budget to the 2012 Olympics with the Department of Finance and Personnel and the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure.
The Chair referred members to the information on the ‘Consultation and the Arts’ seminar to be held on 31 October 2007 in London.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to invite Voluntary Arts Ireland to make a presentation to the Committee.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to consider holding a clinic in order to meet those groups which had contacted the Committee.
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Research papers
The Chair referred members to the Research Service paper on per capita spends on arts and sport.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to defer its consideration of the Research Service paper on per capita spends on Irish and Ulster Scots until the next meeting of the Committee.
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Forward Work Programme
The Chair referred members to the forward work programme for September to December 2007.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to visit the Central Library, Belfast on 6 December 2007.
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Any Other Business
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure to seek further information on the Cultural Property (Armed Conflicts) Bill.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to invite the Ulster Angling Federation to make a presentation to the Committee.
Mr Shannon joined the meeting at 12.25pm.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure informing it that the Committee was not content with it making a return to the Department of Finance and Personnel on October monitoring until it had responded to the Committee’s concerns.
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Date and time of next meeting
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the next meeting will be held on Thursday 11 October 2007 at 10.30am in Room 152, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.35pm.