COMMITTEE FOR CULTURE, ARTS AND LEISURE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY 28 MAY 2009
THE BOARD ROOM, WATERWAYS IRELAND, ENNISKILLEN
Present:
Mr Barry McElduff MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Kieran McCarthy MLA
Mr Raymond McCartney MLA
Mr Pat Ramsey MLA
Mr Jim Shannon MLA
Apologies:
Mr David McNarry MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Dominic Bradley MLA
Mr Francie Brolly MLA
Lord Browne MLA
Mr Nelson McCausland MLA
Mr Ken Robinson MLA
In attendance:
Dr Kathryn Bell (Clerk)
Mrs Elaine Farrell (Assistant Clerk)
Mr Jonathan Lamont (Clerical Supervisor)
Miss Heather Galbraith (Clerical Officer)
The meeting opened in public session at 10.46 a.m.
1. Apologies
The apologies are detailed above.
2. Draft minutes of 21 May 2009
Agreed : The draft minutes of the meeting held on 21 May 2009 were agreed.
3. Departmental briefing on Waterways Ireland Draft Byelaws
The following departmental officials and representatives from Waterways Ireland joined the meeting:
Alex Foyle (Deputy Principal, DCAL)
Brian D’Arcy (Director of Operations, Waterways Ireland)
Caroline McCarroll (Director of Operations Administration, Waterways Ireland)
The officials briefed the Committee on the draft Waterways Ireland Byelaws. This was followed by a question and answer session.
4. Review of the Department’s management of the NIEC and other arms lengths bodies
The Committee noted the Department’s response on governance queries following the meeting with Sport NI and DCAL officials.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to request details of those organizations who had applied for funding to Sport NI but had not been successful.
The Committee noted the response from the Arts Council regarding the Scheme of Delegation and Schedule of Powers and its risk register.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to hold a special meeting to consider the draft report on the Committee’s review of the Department’s management of the NI Events company and its other arms length bodies.
5. Inquiry into the funding of the arts in Northern Ireland
The Committee noted the follow-up response from the Community Arts Forum regarding the percentage spend on community arts in other regions.
The Committee noted the draft itinerary for the visit to Liverpool on 9-11 June 2009.
6. Matters arising
The Committee noted the response from the Minister providing clarification on issues surrounding the development of a museums policy.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to write to the Minister at the end of June to seek an update on progress and timescales.
The Committee noted the response from the Arts Council on the Department of Education’s allocation of the Community Relations Budget.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to write to the Arts Council to request details of the amount of funding it has been allocated over the past three years from the Department of Education’s Community Relations Budget.
The Committee noted the response from the Minister on stadium development.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to discuss the content of the Minister’s response on stadium development with departmental officials at the meeting scheduled for 2 June 2009.
The Committee noted the response from the Minister providing an update on Public Order Legislation.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to seek an update on progress when the Department briefs the Committee on safety at sports grounds on 18 June 2009.
The Committee noted the response from the Minister on the business case for the Navigation Authority for Lough Neagh and the Rivers Blackwater and Upper Bann.
7. Correspondence
The Committee noted the copied correspondence from the Department of Finance and Personnel to the Finance and Personnel Committee on the NI Civil Service position on tackling obesity.
The Committee noted the copied correspondence from the Craigavon Historical Society to the Environment Agency regarding the destruction of cast iron railings on White Bridge, Moyallon.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to forward the letter to the Environment Committee and ask to be copied into the response it makes to the Craigavon Historical Society, and to advise the Society accordingly.
The Chairperson advised the Committee that the Journal of the Royal Society of Ulster Architects has been received in the committee office.
8. Chairperson’s Business
The Chairperson advised the Committee that he has accepted an invitation from Tempo Maguires GAC to the opening of their new pavilion on 12 June 2009.
The Chairperson advised the Committee that he has asked the Clerk to arrange a committee visit to the Cathedral Quarter in Belfast on 24 June 2009.
The Chairperson initiated a discussion on the possibility of the Committee conisdering safety issues relating to the North West 200.
Agreed : The committee agreed to consider this proposal in greater detail at a future date.
9. Forward Work Programme
The Committee noted the Forward Work Programme.
The Chairperson advised the Committee that there would be no Committee meeting on 4 June 2009 or 11 June 2009.
The Chairperson advised the Committee that a meeting is scheduled for 2 June 2009 to receive the DCAL briefing on June monitoring.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to request Hansard coverage for the meeting on 2 June 2009.
10. Any other business
The Chairperson advised that the GAA has issued an Oral History Project questionnaire to all Members.
11. Date and time of the next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure will be on Tuesday 2 June 2009 at 1.00 p.m. in Room 135, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 11.55 a.m.