COMMITTEE FOR CULTURE, ARTS AND LEISURE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
TUESDAY 31 MARCH 2009
ROOM 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Barry McElduff MLA (Chairperson)
Mr David McNarry MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Francie Brolly MLA
Mr Raymond McCartney MLA
Mr Pat Ramsey MLA
Mr Jim Shannon MLA
Apologies:
Mr Dominic Bradley MLA
Lord Browne MLA
Mr Kieran McCarthy MLA
Mr Ken Robinson MLA
In attendance:
Dr Kathryn Bell (Clerk)
Mrs Antonia Hoskins (Assistant Clerk)
Mrs Elaine Farrell (Assistant Clerk)
Miss Heather Galbraith (Clerical Officer)
The meeting opened in public session at 2.05 p.m.
1. Apologies
The apologies are detailed above.
2.16 p.m. Mr Shannon joined the meeting.
2. Review of the Department’s management of its arms lengths bodies
The following Departmental officials and representatives joined the meeting:
Mr Paul Sweeney (Permanent Secretary, Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure)
Ms Linda Wilson (Director of Culture, Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure)
Ms Rosemary Kelly (Chair of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland)
Ms Roisin McDonough (Chief Executive of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland)
The officials and representatives briefed the Committee. This was followed by a question and answer session.
2.25 p.m. Mr McNarry left the meeting.
2.30 p.m. Mr McCartney left the meeting.
2.47 p.m. Mr Ramsey left the meeting.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 2.47 p.m.
The Chairperson reconvened the meeting at 3.16 p.m.
Mr McCartney rejoined the meeting at 3.40 p.m.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to write to the Department at the end of June to seek an update on Board members from Sport NI who were due to receive mandatory training.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to ask for clarification on its powers to take forward the issue of mandatory training with the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to ask if it is content with the level of representation of finance specialists on the Boards of its arms lengths bodies.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the committee office staff would consider the Hansard from the meeting to ascertain if further information and clarification would be required from the officials and representatives.
3. Date and time of the next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure will be on Thursday 2 April 2009 at 10.30 a.m. in Room 152, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 3.47 p.m.