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COMMITTEE FOR CULTURE, ARTS AND LEISURE

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
TUESDAY 9 SEPTEMBER 2008
ROOM 152, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
Mr Barry McElduff MLA (Chairperson)
Mr David McNarry (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Dominic Bradley MLA
Mr Francie Brolly MLA
Lord Browne MLA
Mr Kieran McCarthy MLA
Mr Raymond McCartney MLA
Mr Nelson McCausland MLA
Mr Ken Robinson MLA
Mr Jim Shannon MLA

Apologies:
Mr Pat Ramsey MLA

In attendance:
Mrs Linda Gregg (Clerk)
Mrs Antonia Hoskins (Assistant Clerk)
Miss Mairéad Higgins (Clerical Supervisor)
Mrs Angela Aboagye (Clerical Officer)

The meeting opened in closed session at 10.32 a.m.

1. Apologies

Apologies are detailed above.

2. Departmental briefing on the Northern Ireland Events Company

At its meeting on 4 September 2008, the Committee agreed that the meeting would go into closed session to discuss recent developments with regard to the Northern Ireland Events Company.

The Committee discussed its approach on how Members wished to proceed.

Mr McCausland left the meeting at 11 a.m.

The following officials from the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure joined the meeting:
Mr Paul Sweeney (Permanent Secretary)
Mr Mick Cory (Director of Sports, Museums and Recreation Division)
Mr Noel Kelly (Departmental Solicitor)

Mr McCartney left the meeting at 11.05 a.m.

Departmental Officials briefed the Committee on issues regarding the Northern Ireland Events Company and on the actions being taken by the Department to investigate the matter in full. This was followed by a question and answer session.

Mr McCartney returned to the meeting at 11.46 a.m.
Mr McCausland returned to the meeting at 11.47 a.m.
Mr Robinson left the meeting at 12.06 p.m.
Mr McNarry left the meeting at 12.10 p.m.
Mr McNarry returned to the meeting at 12.21 p.m.
Mr Robinson returned to the meeting at 12.23 p.m.
Mr McCarthy left the meeting at 12.27 p.m.
Mr McNarry left the meeting at 12.30 p.m.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Chairperson be furnished (in confidence) with a full copy of the KPMG draft report.

Agreed: Members agreed that the Committee be furnished (in confidence) with relevant extracts from the KPMG report which relate to the Department of Culture Arts and Leisure.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that Departmental Officials would brief the Committee on the detail of KPMG report within certain agreed restrictions so as not to prejudice any potential future litigation proceedings.

3. 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 Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.50 pm

MR BARRY MCELDUFF MLA
Chairperson, Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure
18 September 2008

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