COMMITTEE FOR CULTURE, ARTS AND LEISURE

OFFICIAL REPORT
(Hansard)

Consideration of draft response to salmon and inland fisheries stakeholder forum consultation

10 April 2008

Members present for all or part of the proceedings:
Mr Barry McElduff (Chairperson)
Mr David McNarry (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Dominic Bradley
Mr Francie Brolly
The Lord Browne
Mr Kieran McCarthy
Mr Raymond McCartney
Mr Nelson McCausland
Mr Ken Robinson
Mr Jim Shannon

Witnesses:
Mr Alan Kilgore )
Mr Alan Kirkpatrick ) Ulster Angling Federation
Mr Robbie Marshall )

The Chairperson (Mr McElduff):
I seek comments from members on the draft responses and on any additional material to be included. We welcome back Mr Marshall, Mr Kilgore and Mr Kirkpatrick from the Ulster Angling Federation, who gave a presentation this morning. Is there any further evidence that informs how this matter is approached?

Mr McNarry:
In the previous session, I suggested that a copy of the Hansard report of this meeting should be added to the Committee response, or what we have discussed could be made known to the Minister. Anybody reading that report will find useful discussion and explanations. I propose that we include a reference to the Hansard report.

The Chairperson:
Does any other member wish to add anything?

Mr D Bradley:
Can the Hansard report be appended as part of the response?

Mr McNarry:
It depends on the time, Chairman. How long does it take Hansard staff to produce the report?

The Committee Clerk:
The normal turnaround time means that the Hansard report of today’s meeting will be available next Thursday, which is beyond the departmental deadline of tomorrow.

Mr D Bradley:
I am sure that if this initial response were sent, the Department would accept an appendix within a week.

The Committee Clerk:
I will contact the Department this afternoon and explain what the Committee proposes to do.

Mr McNarry:
If we refer to that in this response — and said that this would be followed up — the Committee could provide the Department with that Hansard report, rather than the Department having to locate the report. Is that part of our response?

The Chairperson:
I would like the Department to consider exactly what was said today.

Mr K Robinson:
Paragraph 4 of the Committee response states that it is the view of the Committee that it is imperative that there is angling representation on the forum itself. Could the Committee say that there is “enhanced”?

Mr D Bradley:
The next line states that representation should be greater than two people and should perhaps be four.

Mr K Robinson:
The word “enhanced” adds to our argument.

Mr McCausland:
Could the Committee also refer to the number of times that it would meet each year?

The Chairperson:
Yes — quarterly was the preferred frequency.

Do members have any other points to make? If not, the Clerk can conclude on the response.

I thank the representatives of the Ulster Angling Federation for being very patient. A great deal is going on this morning, as you can appreciate. The nature of the Committee response is agreed. It takes into account many of the issues that the Ulster Angling Federation highlighted today.