COMMITTEE FOR CULTURE, ARTS AND LEISURE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY 18 JUNE 2009
THE SPORTS INSTITUTE, UNIVERSITY OF ULSTER, JORDANSTOWN
Present:
Mr Barry McElduff MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Francie Brolly MLA
Lord Browne MLA
Mr Kieran McCarthy MLA
Mr Raymond McCartney MLA
Mr Nelson McCausland MLA
Mr Pat Ramsey MLA
Mr Ken Robinson MLA
Mr Jim Shannon MLA
Apologies:
Mr David McNarry MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Dominic Bradley MLA
In attendance:
Dr Kathryn Bell (Clerk)
Mrs Elaine Farrell (Assistant Clerk)
Mrs Ashleigh Mitford (Assistant Clerk)
Mr Jonathan Lamont (Clerical Supervisor)
Miss Heather Galbraith (Clerical Officer)
Mr Chris Baird (Clerical Officer)
The meeting opened in public session at 10.33 a.m.
1. Apologies
The apologies are detailed above.
2. Draft Minutes of 2 June 2009
Agreed: The draft minutes of the meeting held on 2 June 2009 were agreed.
3 . Sport NI & DCAL briefing on safety at sports grounds
The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding funding for safety at sports grounds.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to request departmental officials to brief the Committee on SL1s regarding safety at sports grounds legislation at the meeting of 25 June 2009.
The following departmental official and representative from Sport NI joined the meeting:
Colin Watson (Head of Sports Branch, DCAL)
Paul Scott (Sport NI)
10.55 a.m. Mr Shannon joined the meeting.
The official and representative briefed the Committee on safety at sports grounds. This was followed by a question and answer session.
4. Sport NI & DCAL briefing on participation in sport & update on draft Strategy for Sport
The following departmental official and representative from Sport NI joined the meeting:
Colin Watson (Head of Sports Branch, DCAL)
Nick Harkness (Director of Participation, Sport NI)
The official and representative briefed the Committee. This was followed by a question and answer session.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to address the issue of participation in sport through its Forward Work Programme.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to write to the Executive to ask if it has considered the draft Strategy for Sport and to seek a date for its implementation.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to write to Sport NI to request details of its physical literacy advisors.
5. Committee Review of NIEC and other arms length bodies
The Committee noted the follow-up response from the Department following the evidence session with Sport NI on 5 May 2009.
6. ETI Committee motion for “Take Note” debate on the economic downturn
The Committee noted the correspondence from the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment (ETI) on its proposed motion.
Agreed : The Committee agreed its input to the ETI Committee Issues Paper on the economic downturn.
7. Matters arising
The Committee noted the response from the Minister regarding the Department’s contribution to climate change.
The Committee noted the response from the Minister regarding draft River Basin Management Plans.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to forward the Minister’s response to the NI Freshwater Taskforce for information.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to write to the Minister to highlight the need to protect fishing habitats when dealing with river basins.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to write to the Committee for the Environment and the Committee for Regional Development to highlight the importance of protecting urban rivers and streams.
The Committee noted the response from the Minister regarding 2009/10 funding for Creative Youth Partnerships .
Agreed : The Committee agreed to write to Creative Youth Partnerships to ask if it was content with the proposed funding arrangements.
8. Chairperson’s business
The Chairperson advised that the Committee had hosted a successful seminar in the Long Gallery on townland names on 17 June 2009.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to consider the issue of townland names in its Forward Work Programme.
The Chairperson advised that the Clerk would produce a report of the Committee visit to Liverpool to be presented in September 2009.
Agreed : The Committee agreed its press release on the visit to Liverpool.
The Chairperson advised that the Northern Ireland Office had invited all Members to the launch of the Organised Crime Task Force annual report at the Waterfront Hall on 23 June 2009. The Chairperson advised that the Clerk would attend this event and report back to the Committee at its meeting on 25 June 2009.
9. Correspondence
The Committee noted correspondence received from the Creative Writers Network.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to write to the Arts Council to seek details of its appeals and complaints processes, and for information regarding the responsibilities of arts development officers. The Committee also agreed to write to Creative Writers Network to advise them of this action.
The Chairperson advised that the following publications had been received in the Committee Office:
The June copy of NI Independent Retail Trade Association News;
The Education and Training Inspectorate’s Corporate Business Plan and Monitoring Template;
The NI Museums Council’s ‘Learning within Museums in NI’ and ‘Learning and Access in Museums’;
CAN – the new publication from the Community Arts Forum; and
The NI Environment Link publication ‘A future for NI’s built heritage’.
10. Forward Work Programme
The Chairperson advised that the Minister had advised that he was not in a position to brief the Committee on the draft Language Strategy on 25 June 2009.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to write to the Minister to ascertain whether a draft Language Strategy has been produced.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to reschedule a briefing with the Minister on the draft Language Strategy in September 2009.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to take oral evidence from Belfast City Council on its inquiry into funding for the arts in Northern Ireland at its meeting on 25 June 2009.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to consider its draft report on the ‘Review of the Department’s management of the NI Events Company and other arms length bodies’ at its meeting on 25 June 2009 in closed session.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to request Hansard coverage at its meeting on 25 June 2009 for the departmental briefing on the SL1s for safety at sports grounds legislation, and for the evidence session with Belfast City Council.
The Chairperson advised that a visit to the Cathedral Quarter in Belfast had been organised for 24 June 2009.
11. Any other business
The Chairperson advised Members of an item of business concerning the Ulster Scots Folk Orchestra which the deputy Chairperson had referred to the Committee.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to write to the Ulster Scots Agency to ask for details of its appeals and complaints processes.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to write to the Ulster Scots Agency to request a copy of its language promotion strategy as considered by its Board on 27 March 2009 and for a copy of the previous strategy.
12. Date and Time of Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure will be Thursday 25 June 2009 at 10.30 am. in Room 152, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.50 p.m.