COMMITTEE FOR CULTURE, ARTS AND LEISURE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 15 NOVEMBER 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 Kieran McCarthy MLA
Mr Nelson McCausland MLA
Mr Pat Ramsey MLA
Mr Ken Robinson MLA
Mr Jim Shannon MLA
Apologies: Mr Paul Maskey MLA
In Attendance: Mrs Linda Gregg (Clerk)
Dr Kathryn Bell (Assistant Clerk)
Miss Mairéad Higgins (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Alister Strain (Clerical Officer)
The meeting opened at 10.02am in public session with the Deputy Chairperson in the chair.
The Chairperson joined the meeting at 10.05am and assumed the chair.
1. Preparation for Minister’s briefing on Draft Budget, Programme for Government and Investment Strategy
The Chairperson advised members on the key issues for the Committee in relation to the Minister’s briefing on the Draft Budget, Programme for Government and Investment Strategy.
2. Briefing on the Draft Budget, Programme for Government and Investment Strategy
The Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure, Mr Edwin Poots MLA, and the following officials joined the meeting at 10.15am:
Mr Edgar Jardine (Deputy Secretary, Department for Culture, Arts and Leisure)
Mr Colin Jack (Director of Culture)
Mr Mick Cory (Director of Sport, Museums and Recreation Division)
The Minister briefed the Committee on the Draft Budget, Programme for Government and Investment Strategy. This was followed by a question and answer session. The Minister agreed to forward the Committee details of the Department’s historical expenditure in each of its spending lines.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to send a number of questions in writing to the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure on the Draft Programme for Government and Draft Public Service Agreements.
3. October monitoring
The following officials joined the meeting at 11.15am:
Mr Anthony Carleton (Director of Corporate Services, Department for Culture, Arts and Leisure)
Mr Michael O’Dowd (Department for Culture, Arts and Leisure)
Ms Deirdre Lundy (Department for Culture, Arts and Leisure)
The officials briefed the Committee on the outcome of October monitoring. This was followed by a question and answer session.
4. Draft minutes of the meeting held on 8 November 2007
Agreed – the draft minutes were agreed.
5. Any Other Business
Agreed – the Committee agreed to extend the deadline for a response from ADSEA to 30 November 2007.
6. Date and time of next meeting
Agreed: The Committee agreed to hold its next meeting on Thursday 22 November 2007 at 10.30am in Room 152, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.00pm.