COMMITTEE FOR CULTURE, ARTS AND LEISURE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 11 OCTOBER 2007
ROOM 152, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Barry McElduff MLA (Chairperson)
Mr David McNarry MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Dominic Bradley
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
Apologies:
Mr Pat Ramsey MLA
In Attendance:
Mr John Torney (Principal Clerk)
Mrs Linda Gregg (Clerk)
Dr Kathryn Bell (Assistant Clerk)
Miss Mairéad Higgins (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Alister Strain (Clerical Officer)
Mr Tim Moore (Research Service)
The meeting opened at 10.35am in public session.
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Draft minutes of the meeting held on 4 October 2007
Agreed – the draft minutes were agreed.
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Matters arising
The Chair referred members to the response from the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure regarding the Committee’s comments on the Department’s October monitoring return.
Mr McNarry joined the meeting at 10.36am.
Lord Browne joined the meeting at 10.37am.
Mr Shannon joined the meeting at 10.40am.
Mr Robinson joined the meeting at 10.41am.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure seeking clarification on how the surrender of monies for the Ulster Scots Academy in the October monitoring round fits within the context of a budget being ring-fenced for that organisation.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to request that in future, officials from the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure brief it on the Department’s proposed returns for monitoring rounds.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to the organisations which gave oral and written evidence on the Libraries Bill to update them on the progress of the Bill.
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Chairperson’s business
The Chairperson introduced Mr John Torney, Principal Clerk, to the Committee.
The Chair advised members that he was attending the next meeting of the Chairpersons Liaison Group on 16 October 2007.
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Libraries Bill (NIA Bill 5/07)
Agreed – the Committee agreed to forward the legal opinion on Schedule 2 received from NIPSA to the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure for onward transmission to the Departmental Solicitor’s Office. Mr McNarry asked that his dissatisfaction with this arrangement be recorded in the Minutes of Proceedings.
The Chair referred members to the article sent by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure to the Committee regarding book spend in libraries in Northern Ireland.
The Chair referred members to the response from the Chief Executive Designate of the Library Authority to the Committee’s request for an update on progress with the recruitment of staff and the development of a sub-regional structure.
Agreed – the Committee agreed that the Bill paper from Research Service be rescheduled from 18 October 2007 to a later date.
The Committee discussed issues on the Libraries Bill in preparation for the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure giving oral evidence at the next meeting of the Committee.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to hold its next meeting at 10.00am in order to discuss Schedule 2 and issues around the costs of the Library Authority, before taking evidence from the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure.
Mr McCausland left the meeting at 11.08am.
Mr McCausland rejoined the meeting at 11.10am.
Mr McNarry left the meeting at 11.15am.
Mr McNarry rejoined the meeting at 11.23am.
Mr Shannon left the meeting at 11.45am.
Mr Shannon rejoined the meeting at 11.48am.
Mr Bradley left the meeting at 11.58am.
Mr McNarry left the meeting at 12.00pm.
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Presentation from Ordnance Survey Northern Ireland (OSNI)
The following officials from OSNI joined the meeting at 12.00pm:
Mr Iain Greenaway (Chief Executive)
Mr Trevor Steenson (Operational & Technical Strategy Director)The officials briefed the Committee on the work carried out by OSNI. This was followed by a question and answer session. The officials agreed to write to the Committee on its work in relation to the use of townland names.
Mr Shannon left the meeting at 12.04pm.
Mr Shannon rejoined the meeting at 12.08pm.
Mr Bradley rejoined the meeting at 12.08pm.
Mr McCarthy left the meeting at 12.15pm.
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Per cent for art principle
Agreed – the Committee agreed to await the outcome of the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety’s review of the per cent for art policy before considering the issue further.
Mr Maskey left the meeting at 12.36pm.
Mr Shannon left the meeting at 12.41pm.
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Research paper
The Chair referred members to the paper from Research Service on the draft Miller Report, which was commissioned by Linfield Football Club.
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Any Other Business
Agreed – the Committee agreed that it would make a response to the consultation on the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure’s Strategy for Sport 2007 - 2017.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to commission a paper from Research Service on the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure’s Strategy for Sport 2007 - 2017.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to forward correspondence from the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety to the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure, in relation to its inquiry into suicide and self-harm. The Committee agreed to ask the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure to send it a copy of any submission it makes to the inquiry.
The Chair referred members to the response from the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to the Committee’s query as to how he intends to bring Executive issues within his remit to the wider attention of members.
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Date and time of next meeting
Agreed: The Committee agreed its next meeting will be held on Thursday 18 October 2007 at 10.00am in Room 152, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1.16pm.
Mr Barry McElduff MLA
Chairperson, Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure
11 October 2007.