COMMITTEE FOR CULTURE, ARTS AND LEISURE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY 9 SEPTEMBER 2010
ROOM 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Barry McElduff MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Declan O’Loan MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Lord Browne MLA
Mr Thomas Burns MLA
Mr Billy Leonard MLA
Mr Kieran McCarthy MLA
Mr Raymond McCartney MLA
Mr David McClarty MLA
Ms Michelle McIlveen MLA
Mr Ken Robinson MLA
Apologies:
Mr Trevor Clarke MLA
In attendance: Mrs Lucia Wilson (Clerk)
Miss Emma Patton (Assistant Clerk)
Mr Jonathan Lamont (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Christopher Baird (Clerical Officer)
The meeting opened in closed session at 10.02a.m
1. Inquiry into participation in sport and physical activity
Members were advised that the plenary debate on the inquiry will take place between 4.30p.m and 6.00pm on Tuesday 14 September.
Members agreed to issue the press release as drafted.
Ms McIlveen joined the meeting at 10.07am.
The meeting moved into open session at 10.11am.
2. Apologies
The apologies were noted as above.
3. Draft Minutes of 2 September 2010
Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the Committee meeting of 2 September 2010.
4. Matters Arising
The Committee considered the response from the Department in relation to the Strategy for the Disbursement of Cultural Funding.
Agreed: It was agreed that the Committee would write to the Department and request that it clarifies what constitutes a new policy and to ensure that the Committee is informed of new departmental policies as is normal practice.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department requesting a date for when the revised strategy will be presented to the Committee.
The Committee considered the response from the Department in relation to the Committee request for more information on the breakdown of the budget on the Strategy for Sport.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department requesting information on when a new call for funding for community clubs will be scheduled.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department seeking information on the criteria for funding.
The Committee considered the response from the Department which gives details of the number of primary and secondary schools over the last 3 years which have been visited by Ulster Scots tutors.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Education Department via its Committee asking them to give details on whether guidance on teaching is provided to Ulster Scots tutors.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department for Employment and Learning via its Committee seeking information on whether teaching training is provided for Ulster Scots tutors at Stranmillis College and St Mary’s College.
The Committee noted the correspondence from the Department in relation to the Grand Opera House cost overrun and Hansard transcript.
The Committee noted the letter from the Department regarding the actual outturn to July and its forecast outturn for the remainder of the year.
The Committee noted the response from DETI in relation to issues raised by Members following the briefing from the Tourist Board at the meeting of 10 June on the draft tourism strategy.
The Committee noted the further response from DSD in relation to the promotion of townland names.
The Committee considered a letter from the Vice-Chancellor of Queen’s University, Belfast and a letter from the English Place-names society in relation to the closure of the NI Place-Name Project.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the letter from the English Place-names society to the Committee for Finance and Personnel, for onward transmission to the Ordnance Survey requesting that they give details of how the information gathered in the archive is to be preserved and whether it will be freely available to academics and members of the public.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the letter from the English Place-names society to the PRONI requesting that looks into acquiring duplicate copies of the archive to be housed at PRONI.
The Committee noted the response from Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann (CCE) in relation to information sought by the Committee following its meeting of the 12 November 2009.
The Committee considered the responses from the Minister and Dr McCutcheon in relation to the sale of his historical archive.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that it would write to the Northern Ireland Environment Agency via the Environment Committee requesting that it is informed of when the transaction has been completed.
The Committee considered the response from the Education Department and a tabled email from the department in relation to Special Olympics Ulster.
Mr McClarty joined the meeting at 10.30am.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to seek clarification on what defines ‘affordability’ in relation to CSR bids and what distinction was made on how the Special Olympics Ulster business case was deemed not ‘affordable’.
Members were advised that the representatives from the Special Olympics Ulster will brief the Committee at next week’s meeting.
5. Departmental briefing on September Monitoring Round
The Committee noted the briefing paper and a list of suggested questions in relation to September Monitoring:
The following officials joined the meeting:
Deborah Brown – Director of Finance and Corporate Services – DCAL.
Mick Cory – Director of Sport, Museums and Recreation – DCAL.
Donal Moran – Head of Languages Branch – DCAL.
Mr McCartney joined the meeting at 10.39am.
The officials made an opening statement.
A question and answer session followed.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the department expressing the view that there must be more flexibility in relation to the allocation of monies between business areas in this round.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the department expressing its support for the PRONI bid.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Committee for Finance and Personnel expressing its concern on the lack of flexibility in the movement of monies at this time of current economic hardship.
6. Assembly Research paper on Departmental Spending Reductions in Culture, Arts and Sports
The Committee noted the Assembly research paper on Departmental spending in Culture, Arts and Sports.
Research officer, Dr Dan Hull briefed the Committee on the paper.
A question and answer session followed.
7. Arts Council Briefing on Budget 2010 and Impact of Proposed Savings Plan
Agreed: It was agreed that agenda item 8 would be taken next.
Mr Burns joined the meeting at 11.16am.
The Committee noted the following the papers in relation to the impact of proposed saving plans on ACNI.
- DCAL paper on Arts Spend per Capita
- Departmental briefing paper
- A list of suggested questions
The following officials joined the meeting:
Roisín McDonough - Chief Executive – ACNI
Nóirín McKinney – Director of Arts Development – ACNI
Nick Livingston – Director of Strategic Development – ACNI.
The officials made an opening statement.
Mr McCarthy left the meeting at 11.50am.
Mr Burns left the meeting at 11.56am.
Mr McCartney left the meeting at 11.58am.
Mr Burns joined the meeting at 12 noon .
A question and answer session followed.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that it would find out more information on how the figures on Arts Spend per Captia are sourced.
Members were reminded that Special Olympics Ulster and NIVCA will brief the Committee on the impact of the proposed savings plan.
8. SportNI briefing on Budget 2010 and Impact of Proposed Savings Plan
The Committee noted the briefing papers in relation to the impact of proposed saving plans on SportNI.
Nick Harkness – Acting Chief Executive – SportNI
Paul Donnelly – Policy Planning and Research Manager SportNI.
The officials made an opening statement.
Mr McClarty left the meeting at 12.18pm.
Mr Robinson left the meeting at 12.22pm.
Mr McCarthy joined the meeting at 12.27pm.
A question and answer session followed.
9. Correspondence
The Committee noted the memo and attachments from the OFMdFM Committee regarding Europe 2020 Strategy and the European Commission Work Programme.
The Committee considered the letter from the Festival of Fools and a copy of a letter from Will Chamberlain to the Minister regarding funding reductions.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department seek clarification on the funding reductions.
The Committee noted the letter which accompanies a copy of an address given by the Taoiseach Mr Brian Cowen T.D., entitled “A Decade of Centenaries: Commemorating Our Shared History”.
The Committee noted the letter from DCAL regarding the Community Festivals Fund.
The Committee considered a letter from the office of Mr Connor Murphy regarding a request from a member of the public to investigate if there was any deal between the Irish Football Association and Linfield Football Club regarding the proposed rebuild of Windsor Park.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the letter to the Department.
The Committee noted the letter from DCMS congratulating Derry/Londonderry in their successful bid in UK City of Culture 2013.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to Derry City Council congratulating them on their success.
The Committee noted the letter from the Department regarding the actual outturn to June and its forecast outturn for the remainder of the year.
The Committee noted an email from DCAL regarding the Irish Language Broadcasting Fund Post Project Evaluation final report.
The Committee noted the letter from DCAL which informs the Committee of the extension of the Museums Policy’s consultation period.
The Committee was advised that the Department will brief the Committee on the outcome of the consultation on 18 November.
The Committee noted OFCOM’s Communications Market Report 2010 which details the use of TV, radio, broadband and mobiles in this region.
The Committee noted the invitation from the Big Telly Theatre Company to one of its performance of ‘Spring Chickens Two’.
10. Chairpersons Business
Members were advised that the Chairperson attended two world record breaking sporting events in Omagh; the world longest hockey match and the world record darting event at the Weigh Inn Bar on 21 August 2010.
Members were advised that the Chairperson attended the Belfast Mela on 29 August 2010 in Botanic Gardens.
Members were advised that the Chairperson attended a discussion event at Benburb Priory on the 6 September 2010 aimed at the preservation of the book collection and historical materials of the Servite Priory.
Members were informed that the Chairperson will attend the launch of Disability Sport NI’s ‘Be Active Be the Best’ talent identification programme in the Long Gallery, Parliament Buildings following today’s Committee meeting .
11. Any other business
Agreed: It was agreed to wish the Down Gaelic Football Team success in The All Ireland Senior Football Championship Final due to be played on 19 September 2010.
12.Forward Work Programme
The Committee noted the tabled Forward Work Programme .
Agreed: The Committee agreed to return to issues surrounding the classification for Sports Coaches as within the Sexual Offenses Order.
13. Date and time of the next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure will take place on Thursday 16 September 2010 at 10.30 a.m. in Room 21, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.40pm.
Mr Barry McElduff
Chairperson, Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure
16 September 2010
02 September 10 / Menu |
