COMMITTEE FOR CULTURE, ARTS AND LEISURE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2010
ROOM 21, 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 David Hilditch MLA
In attendance: Ms 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 10.34am
Members were advised that David Hilditch replaced Trevor Clarke as a Member of the Committee.
Members were advised that the sessions with NICVA and Special Olympics Ulster on the impact of the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) would be covered by Hansard.
1. Alleged funding irregularities - Ulster Scots Folk Orchestra
Refer Members to the following documentation:
- DCAL Response regarding Ulster Scots Folk Orchestra;
- Tabled response from Ulster Scots Agency in relation to the Orchestra
- Response from ACNI regarding the Orchestra.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the correspondence to the PAC for onwards transmission to the Audit Office.
Mr Robinson joined the meeting at 10.41am.
2. Alleged funding irregularities between SportNI and one of its funded organisations
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the correspondence to the PAC for onwards transmission to the Audit Office.
Mr Burns joined the meeting at 10.45am.
Mr McCarthy joined the meeting at 10.47am.
The meeting moved into open session.
3. Apologies
The apologies were noted as above.
4. Draft Minutes of 9 September 2010
Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the Committee meeting of 9 September 2010.
5. Matters Arising
The Committee noted the letter from the Enterprise Minister in relation to the Tourism Strategy.
The Committee noted the response from the Northern Ireland Tourist Board in relation to the core funding of the Foyle Cup.
The Committee considered the letter from the Ulster Angling Federation in relation to its concerns over the abolition of the Fisheries Conservancy Broad.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to accept the Federation’s request to brief the Committee on these issues.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Committee commissions a research paper on whether the 1966 Fisheries Act is outdated and is indeed superseded by EU Regulations in places.
The Committee considered a number of responses in relation to the Committee’s efforts to have local government owned art catalogued and made more accessible to the public.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to NICS Art Management Collection requesting details of all artworks held by them and information on how they are catalogued, loaned and displayed.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Arts Council requesting details of the uptake of the Forum for Local Government and the Arts.
The Committee considered the response from the NI Human Rights Commission in relation to the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Minister requesting him to provide the Committee with a copy of his response and his comments in relation to the letter from the NI Human Rights Commission.
6. Briefing from NICVA on the impact of the Comprehensive Spending Review
The Committee noted the Oxford Economics Report for NICVA ‘Cutting Carefully’ andbriefing paper.
The following representatives joined the meeting:
Mr Seamus McAleaveay, Chief Executive , NICVA
Ms Katrina Newel, Aston Community Trust – New Lodge Arts
Mr Kevin Murphy, Chief Officer – Voluntary Arts Ireland
The representatives made an opening statement.
A question and answer session followed.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to NICVA for a breakdown of headline figures and employment in the community and voluntary sectors.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Arts Council requesting that they inform projects as to why funding may have been declined.
Briefing from Special Olympics Ulster on the impact of the Comprehensive Spending Review
The Committee noted the briefing paper.
Mr Shaun Cassidy, Regional Director, Special Olympics Ulster
Mr Ronan McCay, Fundraiser – Special Olympics Ulster
Mr Liam McGarry, Volunteer – Special Olympics Ulster
The representatives made an opening statement.
Mr Burns left the meeting at 12.25pm.
Mr Burns rejoined the meeting at 12.34pm
Mr McClarty joined the meeting at 12.40pm.
Mr McCartney joined the meeting at 12.41pm.
A question and answer session followed.
Agreed: To write to relevant statutory Committees on the issues facing Special Olympics Ulster.
Agreed: To write to the Minister to ask when the proposed meeting with Ministerial colleagues, to discuss the funding of the Special Olympics, will take place.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to issue a press release in relation to its concerns over the lack of funding for Special Olympics.
7. Assembly Research paper on arms length bodies - re possible inquiry
The Committee noted the Assembly research paper on arms length bodies.
Research officer, Dr Dan Hull briefed the Committee on the paper.
Mr O’Loan left the meeting at 12.43pm.
Mr Burns left the meeting at 12.44pm.
A question and answer session followed.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to formulate terms of reference for a Committee inquiry into DCAL’s arms length bodies.
8. Chairperson’s Business
The Chairperson had no comments to make.
9. Consideration of DCAL spending and savings plans.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to contact Libraries NI, National Museums Council and National Museums NI to request that they brief the Committee on the impact of the spending and savings plan.
10. Correspondence
The Committee noted the letter received from Construction Employers Federation.
Agreed: The Chairperson agreed to hold an informal meeting with Construction Employers Federation.
The Committee considered a letter from Danny Kennedy MLA regarding the recent successes of Linfield under 13 Boys and Newry City and the under 14 Girls football teams at the Tesco Cup Football Tournament.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to refer this matter to the Department for possible inclusion in the Minister’s Annual sports reception as per criteria for this event.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the clubs to congratulate them on their successes.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to Danny Kennedy to inform him of the Committee’s action in regard to this matter.
The Committee considered the correspondence from Irish Trout Fly Fishing Association regarding the water quality in Lower Lough Erne.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward this matter to the Rivers Agency via the Agriculture Committee and to the Northern Ireland Environment Agency via the Environment Committee.
The Committee noted the letter from National Museums NI regarding “nine into ten”.
The Committee considered a letter from Cahoots NI regarding the possibility of hosting a performance in Parliament Buildings.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the request to Events team in the Assembly who carry out tours of Parliament Buildings and ask that they consider Cahoots’ proposal.
The Committee noted letter from Action for Children’s Arts in relation to the impact of the savings plans.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to invite Action for Children’s Arts to the next round robin meeting.
The Committee noted the memo from Business Office regarding the 2007 Annual Report and Accounts from Sports Council for NI.
The Committee noted the letter from DCAL regarding the Community Festivals Fund.
The Committee considered the request from Cinemagic International Film and Television Festival to meet with the Committee and to sponsor an event in the Senate Chamber on 27 September 2010.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to Cinemagic International Film’s request to meet with the Committee and to host the event in the Senate Chamber.
The Committee considered the Central Committee Office publication of Members attendance at Committee meetings for the 09/10 session.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to the publication of Members attendance at Committee meetings for the 09/10 session as drafted.
The Committee noted the Education and Training Inspectorate Annual Business Report 2009-2010
The Committee noted the OFMdFM Committee report on departmental inputs to the Programme for Cohesion, Sharing and Integration.
The Committee noted the email from the Department regarding the successes achieved by local pipe bands at this year’s World Pipe Band Championships.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association to congratulate them on their recent successes.
The Committee considered a request from Libraries NI to meet with the Committee regarding the spending and saving plans for Budget 2010.
The Committee noted that DCAL’s resource accounts report for the year ended 31 March 2010 was placed in Members’ pigeonholes on 10 September 2010.
The Committee noted that the Arts Council’s accounts report for the year ended 31 March 2010 was placed in Members’ pigeonhole on 14 September 2010.
11. Forward Work Programme
The Committee noted tabled the Forward Work Programme.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to visit Ram’s Island, Lough Neagh in the spring.
Agreed: It was agreed to write to the Lough Neagh Partnership congratulating them on their recent achievements.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to go to Mosley Mill, Newtownabbey, for either a meeting or visit.
11. Any other business
The Committee was advised that the Clerk and the Clerk from the Justice Committee would meet to discuss the way forward to relation to the Sexual Offences Order 2007 and the definition of sport coaches holding ‘positions of trust’ in relation to young people aged 16-18.
12. Date and time of the next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure will take place on Thursday 23 September 2010 at 10.30 a.m. in Room 21, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1.07pm.
Mr Barry McElduff
Chairperson, Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure
23 September 2010
09 September 10 / Menu |
