COMMITTEE FOR CULTURE, ARTS AND LEISURE
THURSDAY 21 FEBRUARY 2008
THE SENATE CHAMBER AND ROOM 152, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Barry McElduff MLA (Chairperson)
Mr David McNarry MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Dominic Bradley MLA
Mr Francie Brolly MLA
Lord Browne MLA
Mr Paul Maskey MLA
Mr Kieran McCarthy MLA
Mr Nelson McCausland MLA
Mr Pat Ramsey MLA
Mr Ken Robinson MLA
Mr Jim Shannon MLA
In attendance:
Mrs Linda Gregg (Clerk)
Mrs Elaine Farrell (Assistant Clerk)
Miss Mairéad Higgins (Clerical Supervisor)
Mrs Angela Aboagye (Clerical Officer)
The meeting opened at 10.05 a.m. in public session in the Senate Chamber.
1. Apologies
There were no apologies.
2. Draft minutes of the meeting held on 14 February 2008
The draft minutes of the meeting held on 14 February 2008 were agreed.
3. Matters arising
The Chairperson reported that the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) had been asked to attend the meeting today to discuss issues surrounding the Multi Sports Stadium but had declined the Committee’s request.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to request the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), Irish Football Association (IFA) and Ulster Rugby to attend a future Committee meeting to seek up to date information on the three sports positions on the location of the Multi Sports Stadium.
The Committee noted the Sinn Féin submission to the Minister on the Strategy for Irish Language. The Chairperson advised Members that the Minister had indicated that it would be helpful if the Committee could respond his suggested way forward in respect of a strategy for indigenous languages.
The Committee noted the draft response to the Varney Review of the Competitiveness of Northern Ireland.
Agreed – the Committee agreed the draft response and the Clerk was requested to forward the response on behalf of the Committee.
The Committee noted the series of budget questions to be forwarded to the Minister in advance of his attendance at a future Committee meeting.
Agreed – the Committee agreed that further budget questions arising from today’s meeting should also be included.
4. Chairpersons Business
The Committee noted a request from Invest in Inspiration and Keep Our Arts Alive to meet with the Committee.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to the request and asked that this be added to the Forward Work Programme.
The Chairperson advised that he had been asked to attend a meeting with the Minister on 4 March 2008 in his role as Chairperson of the Committee to discuss the reallocation of Sports Lottery Funding.
5. Briefing from the Community Relations Council (CRC)
The following representative from the CRC joined the meeting:
Dr Duncan Morrow (Chief Executive).
Dr Morrow briefed the Committee on CRC’s views on the multi sports stadium as reported in the PriceWaterhouseCoopers Report of 2005.
This was followed by a question and answer session.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to invite Dr Morrow to a further Committee meeting to explore the issues discussed in greater detail.
6. Update on the proposed Multi Sports Stadium
The following representatives from the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, the Strategic Investment Board and PriceWaterhouseCoopers joined the meeting:
Mr Edwin Poots (Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure)
Mr Edgar Jardine (Deputy Secretary, DCAL)
Mr Tony Whitehead (Strategic Investment Board)
Ms Julie Clark (Director, Leisure Advisory, PricewaterhouseCoopers)
The Minister and the representatives briefed the Committee on the Multi Sports Stadium and the Business Case which has been submitted to DFP.
This was followed by a question and answer session.
Mr Ramsey left the meeting at 12.25 p.m.
Mr McNarry left the meeting at 12.30 p.m.
Mr Shannon left the meeting at 12.30 p.m.
Mr Ramsey returned to the meeting at 12.32 p.m.
Mr McNarry returned to the meeting at 12.35 p.m.
Mr Shannon returned to the meeting at 12.37 p.m.
Mr Bradley left the meeting at 12.57 p.m.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to hold a single agenda meeting to discuss issues relating to the Multi Sports Stadium.
The meeting was suspended at 1.20 p.m.
The meeting reconvened at 2.07 p.m. in Room 152.
7. Presentation on Oh Yeah Project
The following representatives from the Oh Yeah Project joined the meeting:
Mr John D’Arcy
Mr Stuart Bailie
Mr Gary Lightbody
The representatives briefed the Committee on the Oh Yeah Project.
This was followed by a question and answer session.
8. Presentation from Northern Ireland Screen Commission (NISC)
The following representatives from the NISC joined the meeting:
Mr Richard Williams (Chief Executive)
Ms Julieanne Crothers-Gibson (Director of Policy Development)
This was followed by a question and answer session.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to the Minister expressing concern regarding the deficit in funding for creative industries and stressing the
impact this has had on the NISC.
9. Forward Work Programme
The Committee noted the Forward Work Programme.
Agreed – the Committee agreed that the presentations by Foras na Gaeilge and the Community Relations Council on 28 February 2008 should be covered by Hansard.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to a request from Rally Ireland to make a presentation to the Committee.
10. Any other business
The Chairperson advised Members that Departmental Press Clippings are received by the Committee Office on a daily business and requested that should any Member which to have the clippings emailed to them, they should advise Committee staff.
The Committee discussed the intention to host a reception to recognise all those who have participated in the Special Olympics Ireland and the Northern Ireland Transplant Games.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to host a lunch time reception in honour of the participants in Special Olympics Ireland and the Northern Ireland Transplant Games.
The Committee clarified their position on the Irish Language Strategy.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to the Minister to advise that the Committee’s role was to scrutinise the work of the Department and asking the Department to present to the Committee its proposal for the Irish Language Strategy.
11. Date, time and place of the next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure will take place on Thursday 28 February 2008 at 10.30 a.m. Room 152, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 3.25 p.m.