COMMITTEE FOR CULTURE, ARTS AND LEISURE
THURSDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2008
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 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 10.37 a.m. in public session
1. Apologies
There were no apologies
2. Draft minutes of the meetings held on 21 February and 26 February 2008.
The draft minutes of the meetings held on 21 and 26 February 2008 were agreed.
3. Matters arising
The Committee noted the response from the Minister dated 26 February 2008 on the fees paid to PriceWaterhouseCoopers to produce the Outline Business Case.
Agreed- the Committee agreed to request a copy of the Strategic Investment Board’s assessment of the Business Case.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to the Department to request up to date information on the amount paid to all consultants for their work on the proposed Multi Sports Stadium.
Agreed – the Committee finalised the budget questions to be forwarded to the Department, Arts Council and Sport NI prior to asking the Minister and the two Non Departmental Bodies to attend a future Committee meeting.
The Chairperson advised that a response was still awaited from the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) on whether it would attend a Committee meeting to discuss the Multi-Sports Stadium.
Agreed – the Committee agreed that the Irish Football Association (IFA), Ulster Rugby and the GAA should attend a Committee meeting on a date following recess and that Dr Duncan Morrow, Community Relations Council, should attend on 6 March 2008.
4. Chairperson’s Business
The Chairperson advised that he would circulate summaries of the meetings of the Chairpersons’ Liaison Group held on 22 January and 19 February 2008 to Members.
The Chairperson advised that Special Olympics Ulster have requested to make a presentation to the Committee.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to add Special Olympics Ulster to the Forward Work Programme for 1 May 2008.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to host a reception for Special Olympics Ireland and Northern Ireland Transplant Games on 1 May 2008 from
12.00 p.m. to 2.00 p.m.
Mr McNarry left the meeting at 11.04 a.m.
5. Presentation from Belfast Community Circus School
The following representatives from Belfast Community Circus School joined the meeting:
Mr Will Chamberlain (Director)
Ms Lauren McCloud (Outreach Officer)
Mr Paul Quate (Youth Circus Director)
The representatives briefed the Committee on the work of Belfast Community Circus School.
This was followed by a question and answer session.
Mr McNarry returned to the meeting at 11.48 a.m.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to the Arts Council to ask what support it intends to provide to the Belfast Community Circus School in order to build on the momentum following the statement by the Minister for Finance and Personnel which secured additional funding in the budget for the Arts.
Mr Ramsey left the meeting at 12.10 p.m.
Mr Bradley left the meeting at 12.23 p.m.
6. Presentation from Foras na Gaeilge
The following representatives from Foras na Gaeilge joined the meeting:
Mr Ferdie Mac an Fhailigh (Chief Executive)
Mr Liam Ó Maoimhichíl (Chairperson)
Mr Tomás Ó Ruairc (Deputy Chief Executive)
The representatives briefed the Committee on the work of Foras na Gaeilge.
This was followed by a question and answer session.
7. Forward Work Programme
The Committee noted the Forward Work Plan.
Agreed – the Committee agreed that the presentations by Equity, the Ulster-Scots Agency and Dr Duncan Morrow should be covered by Hansard.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to invite The European Bureau for Lesser Used Languages to make a presentation to the Committee.
Mr Robinson arrived at 12.28 p.m.
8. Correspondence
The Committee noted the press cutting on the recent presentation to the Committee by the Lough Neagh Fishermens’ Co-Op.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to consider this issue at a further Committee meeting.
The Committee noted the update on the Forensic Audit Report regarding the Northern Ireland Events Company.
The Committee noted the IFA letter dated 12 February 2008 on the Health Benefits of Modernisation Programmes.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to acknowledge and commend the responses from the IFA, GAA and Ulster Rugby on the Health Benefits of Modernisation Programmes and forward all information received to both the Health Committee and Education Committee for their information.
The Committee noted the Minister’s response dated 18 February 2008 on Salmon and Inland Fisheries Forum – sub committees.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to the Minister to request that angling representation is included throughout the Forum structure.
The Committee noted the invitation from POBAL to a one day conference on “Developing a Comprehensive Policy and Strategy to Enhance and Protect the Development of the Irish Language”.
The Committee noted a request from Good Vibrations Records to brief the Committee.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to add Good Vibration Records to the Forward Work Programme.
The Committee noted the briefing from the Department which detailed the forthcoming visit by the Minister to the United States of America.
The Committee noted the response from the Arts Council dated 20 February 2008 on amateur drama groups.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to the Association of Ulster Drama Festivals seeking information on amateur drama groups.
The Committee noted the policy documents supplied by the Arts Council.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to the Arts Council requesting documents which provide information on how the polices are to be implemented.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to the Arts Council to ask the Council to have initial discussions with the Committee regarding the possibility of hosting an amateur theatre arts production at Stormont.
Mr McElduff left the meeting at 1.00 p.m.
Mr McNarry took the chair at 1.00 p.m.
The Committee noted the request from the Climate Change Coalition Northern Ireland to meet with the Committee.
Agreed – the committee agreed to add Climate Change Coalition Northern Ireland to the Forward Work Programme.
The Committee noted the Minister’s response dated 21 February 2008 on the development of a museums policy.
The Committee noted the invitation from the Northern Ireland Regional Area Networking (NIRAN) to an awareness conference on 18 April 2008 and a request to make a presentation to the Committee.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to add NIRAN to the Forward Work Programme.
9. Any other business
Members noted the email dated 26 February 2008 from the Forum for Local Government and the Arts seeking support for the Northern Ireland Theatre Initiative.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to collate responses received and respond in due course.
The Committee noted that the winter issue of Phoenix Natural Gas Community News had been received in the Committee Office.
The Committee noted that the Draft Better Regulation Annual Report will be included in next weeks agenda.
The Clerk was asked to obtain a copy of the report following on from the launch of the Academic Study of Ulster-Scots.
10. Date, time and place of the next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure will take place on Thursday 6 March 2008 at 10.30 a.m. in Room 152, Parliament Buildings.
The Deputy Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1.06 p.m.