COMMITTEE FOR CULTURE, ARTS AND LEISURE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY 4 SEPTEMBER 2008
AQUARIUM EDUCATION SUITE, EXPLORIS, PORTAFERRY
Present:
Mr David McNarry (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Francie Brolly MLA
Lord Browne MLA
Mr Kieran McCarthy MLA
Mr Nelson McCausland MLA
Mr Pat Ramsey MLA
Mr Jim Shannon MLA
Apologies:
Mr Barry McElduff MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Dominic Bradley MLA
Mr Raymond McCartney MLA
Mr Ken Robinson MLA
In attendance:
Mrs Linda Gregg (Clerk)
Dr Kathryn Bell (Clerk)
Mrs Antonia Hoskins (Assistant Clerk)
Miss Mairéad Higgins (Clerical Supervisor)
Mrs Angela Aboagye (Clerical Officer)
The meeting opened in public session at 10.34 a.m.
1. Apologies
The apologies are detailed above.
2. Draft Minutes of the meeting held on 3 July 2008
The draft minutes of the meeting held on 3 July 2008 were agreed.
3. Matters arising
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Federation of Ulster Local Studies to seek their views on correspondence received from the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure regarding policy for local studies.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to Colmcille to advise it of correspondence received from the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure regarding the transfer of Colmcille to the Statutory Language Body.
The Chair advised Members that the Committee had received correspondence from the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure regarding North/South Ministerial Council meetings.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Minister with regard to funding for the new Northern Ireland Library Authority and to seek an update on implementation plans.
4. Departmental briefing on September Monitoring
Mr Shannon joined the meeting at 10.47 a.m.
The following officials from the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure joined the meeting:
Ms Deborah Brown (Director of Finance)
Mr Jack Palmer (Head of Sports Branch)
Ms Linda Wilson (Director of Culture)
The representatives briefed the Committee on the outcome of June monitoring and the Department’s proposed return for September monitoring. This was followed by a question and answer session.
The Deputy Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 11.12 a.m.
The Deputy Chairperson resumed the meeting at 11.16 a.m.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to seek an urgent briefing on the Northern Ireland Events Company from Departmental officials and to request a copy of a confidential Departmental document that had been discussed in the media.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure regarding a bid for additional funding in the September Monitoring round to implement the new Library Authority.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to seek further clarification on the provision of elite faculties and the role of Northern Ireland as host for the 2012 Olympic Games.
Departmental officials agreed to provide information detailing capital investment internal re-allocations made as a result of the June monitoring round. Officials also agreed to provide an update on the Department’s projected underspend by January 2009, and the remit and budget of the Northern Ireland Events Unit.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to seek an update on premises issues regarding the Ulster Scots Academy.
5. Presentation from Research & Library Service
Agreed: The Committee agreed to defer the presentation from the Assembly Research & Library Service to the meeting on Thursday 11 September 2008.
6. Procurement awareness
The following representatives joined the meeting:
Mr Roy Bell (Deputy Director of Central Procurement Unit, Department of Finance and Personnel)
Ms Ruth Fee ( University of Ulster at Jordanstown)
Mr Brendan O’Neill (Central Procurement Unit, Department of Finance and Personnel)
The Deputy Chairperson left the meeting at 12.06 p.m.
Lord Browne assumed the Chair at 12.06 p.m.
The Deputy Chairperson resumed the Chair at 12.10 p.m.
The representatives briefed the Committee on the procurement process for Departments. This was followed by a question and answer session.
7. Briefing from Public Records Office Northern Ireland (PRONI)
The following officials from PRONI joined the meeting:
Mr Alastair Hughes (Head of Divisional Support Services)
Ms Cecelia McCormick (Deputy Head of Divisional Support Services)
The officials briefed the Committee on the proposed consultation on the “Revision of Public Use of the Records (Management and Fees) Rules ( Northern Ireland) 1996 SR 1996 No. 38”. This was followed by a question and answer session.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the consultation on the “Revision of Public Use of the Records (Management and Fees) Rules ( Northern Ireland) 1996 SR 1996 No. 38” should proceed.
8. Inquiry into a museums policy for Northern Ireland
Agreed: The Committee agreed its timetable for receiving oral evidence.
Agreed: The Committee agreed a set of generic questions for the oral evidence sessions and that these questions are forwarded to the relevant witnesses.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to request that the Ulster Sports Museum give oral evidence to the inquiry.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that research presentations and evidence sessions should be recorded by Hansard.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to include a visit to the Tower Museum on 2 October 2008.
9. Correspondence
The Chairperson advised Members that the Royal Ulster Academy has extended an invitation to the Committee to attend an early preview of the Royal Ulster Academy Exhibition in the Titanic Drawing Rooms on Wednesday 17 September 2008 at 11 a.m.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the remaining correspondence be carried over to the meeting on Thursday 11 September 2008.
10. Chairperson’s Business
Agreed: The Committee agreed that Members could meet Lord Coe during the course of events he will be attending while in Northern Ireland in November 2008. The Committee also agreed that the Head of Culture & Ceremonies for the 2012 Olympics, accompanied by a senior Departmental official, should brief the Committee on the Northern Ireland aspects of the 2012 Olympics.
Mr Ramsey left the meeting at 12.30 p.m.
11. Forward Work Programme
Agreed: The Committee agreed its forward work programme from September to December 2008.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that meetings would commence at 10.00a.m.during its Inquiry into the Development of a Museums Policy for Northern Ireland.
13. Date and time of the next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure will be on Thursday 11 September 2008 at 10.00 am, in Room 152 Parliament Buildings.
The Deputy Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.45 pm