COMMITTEE FOR CULTURE, ARTS AND LEISURE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY 27 MAY 2010
ROOM 21, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
Mr Barry McElduff MLA (Chairperson)
Lord Browne MLA
Mr Thomas Burns MLA
Mr Trevor Clarke MLA
Mr Billy Leonard MLA
Mr Kieran McCarthy MLA
Mr David McClarty MLA
Ms Michelle McIlveen MLA
Mr Ken Robinson MLA

Apologies:
Mr Raymond McCartney MLA
Mr Declan O’Loan MLA (Deputy Chairperson)

In attendance:
Dr Kathryn Bell (Clerk)
Miss Emma Patton (Assistant Clerk)
Mr Jonathan Lamont (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Christopher Baird (Clerical Officer)
Ms Angela Kelly (Legal Advisor)

The meeting opened in closed session at 10.35 a.m.

Members were informed that Mr Thomas Burns has replaced Mr PJ Bradley as a Member of the Committee.

1. Apologies

The apologies are noted above.

Mr Robinson joined the meeting at 10.39 a.m.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to take Chairperson’s business next.

2. Chairperson’s Business

Members noted the tabled report on a meeting which the Chairperson, Mr Robinson, and the Clerk had with representatives from Special Olympics Ulster on Tuesday 25 May.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to Sport NI and DCAL requesting that officials brief the Committee on issues surrounding the funding of Special Olympics Ulster.

Members noted that the Chairperson, Kieran McCarthy and the Clerk met with representatives from Strategic Planning on Wednesday 26 May to discuss their plans for developing the Blanchflower playing fields.

Members noted that the Clerk will attend on the Committee’s behalf an event in the Long Gallery on Thursday 3 June hosted by the DCAL and ETI Ministers to discuss the relationship between commerce and culture.

Members noted the communiqués from the North South Ministerial Council on the meetings held in inland waterways and languages sectoral format on Wednesday 26 May.

3. Alleged funding irregularities between Sport NI and one of its funded organisations

Angela Kelly, Assembly Legal Advisor briefed the Committee.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward information on this issue to the Public Accounts Committee for onward transmission to the NI Audit Office.

4. Inquiry into participation in sport and physical activity in Northern Ireland

The Committee considered the revised draft recommendations.

Mr Clarke joined the meeting at 10.55 a.m.

Mr McCarthyjoined the meeting at 11.07 a.m.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Clerk would amend the draft recommendations for further consideration at the meeting on 3 June 2010.

The Committee noted a tabled email from NILGA in relation to concessionary rates and crèche facilities in local council leisure centres.

The meeting moved into public session at 11.10 a.m.

5. Draft minutes of 20 May 2010

Agreed : The draft minutes of the meeting held on 20 May 2010 were agreed.

6. Committee for Finance and Personnel Committee Inquiry

into the role of the Assembly in scrutinising the Executives’ budget and Expenditure

The Committee noted the memo from the Clerk to the Committee for Finance and Personnel.

The Committee noted the memo and draft response from the Clerk.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the response to the Finance and Personnel Committee as drafted.

7. Departmental briefing on draft Museums Policy

The Committee noted the Department’s briefing papers and the Committee office memo.

Mr Burns joined the meeting at 11.26 a.m.

The following officials joined the meeting:

Brian Smart, Head of Museums Branch, DCAL

Chris Bailey, Director of NI Museums Council

The officials briefed the Committee. This was followed by a question and answer session.

8. Forward Work Programme

The Committee noted the forward work programme.

The Committee noted that the next Committee meeting will be held on Tuesday 1 June 2010 in Room 135, at 1.15 p.m. in relation to the June Monitoring Round.

The Chairperson advised that the Department had indicated that the Minister would not be in a position to brief the Committee on the draft language strategy until September 2010.

The Committee noted the tabled letter from the Minister in relation to the status of the draft language strategy.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the briefing from the Department on June Monitoring and the briefing from Waterways Ireland in relation to its Bye-Laws be covered by Hansard.

The meeting moved into closed session at 12.10 p.m.

9. Alleged funding irregularities between Sport NI and one of its funded organisations

Mr Burns, Mr Clarke, and Mr McCarthy were briefed by the Chairperson and the Clerk on the issues relating to this matter.

The meeting moved into open session at 12.15 p.m.

10. Any Other Business

The Committee noted the tabled memo from the Health Committee in relation to the Sunbeds Bill.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the memo to the Department as requested.

11. Departmental briefing on Sexual Offences (NI) Order 2008

Agreed: The Committee agreed to request a briefing from the NSPCC in relation to the Sexual Offence Order (NI) 2008 and on its remit of child protection in the area of sport.

The Committee noted papers from the Department, the NSPCC, and an Assembly research paper.