COMMITTEE FOR CULTURE, ARTS AND LEISURE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY 26 JUNE 2008
CULTRA MANOR, ULSTER FOLK AND TRANSPORT MUSEUM
Present: Mr Barry McElduff MLA (Chairperson)
Mr David McNarry MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Francie Brolly MLA
Lord Browne MLA
Mr Kieran McCarthy MLA
Mr Ken Robinson MLA
Mr Jim Shannon MLA
Apologies: Mr Dominic Bradley MLA
Mr Raymond McCartney MLA
Mr Nelson McCausland MLA
Mr Pat Ramsey 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 in public session at 10.34 am
-
Apologies
The apologies are detailed above.
-
Draft Minutes of the meeting held on 19 June 2008
The draft minutes of the meeting held on 19 June 2008 were agreed.
-
Matters arising
The Committee discussed the briefing made on the 19 June 2008 by the Permanent Secretary, Mr Paul Sweeney on the proposed multi-sports stadium.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to the Minister to establish whether he has made himself familiar with all available information regarding the proposals for a multi-sports stadium and that he is satisfied that it has been shared with the Committee. The Committee are also interested to know what alternatives are now being considered should the Maze/Long Kesh site project fail to proceed.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to Lisburn City Council to seek its views on the site of the proposed multi-sports stadium.
-
Briefing from Young at Art
Ms Ali FitzGibbon from Young at Art joined the meeting.
Ms FitzGibbon briefed the Committee on Young at Art. This was followed by a question and answer session.
Mr McCarthy left the meeting at 11.17 am
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and the Department to ask why there is no policy in place for Festivals.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to invite Young at Art to stage an event at Stormont after summer recess.
Mr McNarry left the meeting at 11.40 am
Mr McNarry rejoined the meeting at 11.45 am
-
Presentation from Research and Library Service – Songwriter Royalties in Northern Ireland.
Ms Eithne Knappitsch, Research and Library Service briefed that Committee on Songwriter Royalties in Northern Ireland.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to the Department making a recommendation that it should consider fully the findings of the Research and Library Service research paper on Songwriter Royalties and report back to the Committee on how it might progress this issue.
-
Presentation from Research and Library Service – Draft UK Marine Bill
Mr Jeff Mochan, Research and Library Service briefed the Committee on the Draft UK Marine Bill.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to forward a response to the Department subject to a number of amendments being made to the draft submission.
-
Chairperson’s Business
The Chairperson and the Deputy Chairperson reported on the issues discussed when they met with the Minister on 19 June 2008.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to the Minister to summarise the issues discussed and associated actions.
The Chairperson advised the Committee that he had attended a meeting of the Chairpersons’ Liaison Group on 24 June 2008 and updated the Committee on the issues discussed.
The Chairperson advised the Committee that he had attended an event in Broadcasting House on 24 June 2008 on the BBC’s coverage of the arts.
The Chairperson provided the Committee with a report on his visit to the Scottish Parliament on 17 June 2008.
The Chairperson advised the Committee that he had received an invitation to the John Hewitt Society to attend its International Summer School from 28 July 2008 to 1 August 2008.
The Chairperson advised the Committee that he and the Deputy Chair will meet with representatives of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland on 22 July 208 to discuss the arts.
The Chairperson advised the Committee that he had attend the launch of the new floodlight 8 lane, international athletics track at Youth Sport Omagh on 25 June 2008.
-
Inquiry into “The Development of a Museums Policy for Northern Ireland”
The Chairperson advised the Committee that 30 submissions have been received for the Inquiry into the Development of a Museums Policy for Northern Ireland.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to call the Railway Preservation Society, the Somme Association, HMS Caroline to give oral evidence to the Committee at the meeting on 11 September 2008, followed by oral evidence from the Councils at a later date.
-
Correspondence
The Committee noted the correspondence dated 13 June 2008 from the Minister, the correspondence dated 10 June 2008 from Belfast City Council and the correspondence dated 18 June 2008 from Sport NI on Karate-Do-Wado-Kai.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to copy the correspondence received to Karate-Do-Wado-Kai and ask it to advise the Committee on the follow up.
The Committee noted the correspondence dated 16 June 2008 from the Minister on Unlocking Creativity Initiative.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to add the University of Ulster and Queens University, Belfast to the Forward Work Programme to discuss the Unlocking Creativity Initiative.
The Committee noted the correspondence dated 16 June 2008 from the Minister on Windsor Park football ground.
The Committee noted the correspondence date 16 June 2008 from the Minister on the Library Authority – bid for resources for voluntary redundancies.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to await the outcome of the business case before considering this issue further.
The Committee noted the correspondence dated 13 June 2008 from the Central Committee Office on Freedom of Information Procedures.
Agreed – the Committee agreed that in order to comply with governance arrangements for handling Freedom of Information requests during periods of recess, the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson would have delegated authority to submit views on releasing or withholding information regarding requests received by Committee.
The Committee noted the correspondence dated 13 June 2008 from the Department on engagement with the DRD Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to the Department to seek further clarification on the role of the Department in reducing areas of inequality in health, education, skills, qualification levels and employment rates.
Agreed – the Committee agreed that the draft response should issue to the DSD Committee on the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy.
The Committee noted the correspondence dated 18 June 2008 from the Environment Committee on ACCESSNI.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to seek clarification from the Department on the issue of notification of convictions.
The Committee noted the correspondence dated 16 June 2008 from the Northern Ireland Museums Council on the continuation of funding until the transfer of functions takes place.
The Committee noted the correspondence dated 20 June 2008 from the Committee for Finance and Personnel on briefings for statutory committees on departmental monitoring round submissions.
The Chairperson advised the Committee that the Report “Planning Integrated Services to Support Children and Families” has been received in the Committee Office.
The Committee noted the correspondence date 20 June 2008 from Mr Ian Bamford on total rates relief for Northern Ireland Sports Clubs.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to DFP to enquire what the ramifications of a total rates relief for Northern Ireland Sports Clubs will mean for these sports clubs.
The Committee noted the correspondence dated 24 June 2008 from the Northern Ireland Government Affairs Group inviting Members to a Summer reception on 3 July 2008.
The Committee noted the correspondence dated 19 June 2008 from Derry City Council on cruise passenger itineraries.
The Committee noted the correspondence dated 23 June 2008 from Mr Brian Corry on the proposals for the location of the multi-sports stadium.
-
Forward Work Programme
The Committee noted the Forward Work Programme.
Agreed – the Committee agreed Hansard coverage for the presentation by the Federation of Ulster Local Studies at the meeting on 3 July 2008.
-
Any other business
The Chairperson advised the Committee that the Libraries Bill NIA 5/07 received Royal Assent on 23 June 2008 and would now be known as the Libraries Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 Chapter 8.
The Chairperson advised the Committee that the Committee for Finance and Personnel took evidence from Mr Leo Reilly, Second Secretary for the Department of Finance and Personnel regarding his Department’s assessment of the Business Case for the proposed multi-sports stadium and that copies of the transcript would be made available to Committee Members.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to consider requesting Mr Reilly to attend a committee meeting to discuss his assessment.
The Chairperson thanked the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum for hosting the Committee meeting and provision of a tour of the transport museum.
Agreed – the Committee agreed to write to the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum to convey its thanks for hosting the Committee meeting.
-
Date and time of the next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure will be Thursday 3 July 2008 at 10.00 am in Room 152, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1.04 pm.