COMMITTEE FOR CULTURE, ARTS AND LEISURE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 2002 AT 10:23AM, IN ROOM 152, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr J Kelly (Deputy Chairperson)
Dr I Adamson
Mr F Agnew
Mr I Davis
Mr D Hilditch
Mr K McCarthy
Mr M Murphy
Mr J Shannon
Mr J Wilson
Apologies:
Mr E ONeill (Chairperson)
Mr E McMenamin
In attendance:
Ms L Gordon (Clerk)
Mrs L Gregg (Assistant Clerk)
Ms M Higgins (Administrative Support)
Ms H Graham (Administrative Support)
In attendance at 11:00am for a presentation on a proposed consultation document 'Architecture and the Built Environment': Ms Roisin McDonough, Chief Executive, and Ms Noirin McKinney, Creative Arts Director - Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
The Deputy Chairperson opened the meeting, in public, at 10:23am.
1. Chairperson's Business
1.1. The Deputy Chairperson reminded members that mobile phones should be completely turned off.
1.2. The Deputy Chairperson welcomed members back after the recess, particularly Mick Murphy, as it was his first attendance at the Committee. The Committee recorded its appreciation of the contribution made by the previous Deputy Chairperson, Mary Nelis.
1.3. The Committee agreed the attendance of the Chairperson at day 2 of the international built heritage conference 'Look up Belfast', between 1st - 3rd October 2002, which will deal with the link between cultural identity and historic buildings.
1.4. The Committee agreed the attendance of the Chairperson and Mr Murphy at part of the Association of Northern Ireland Education and Library Boards' Conference to be held on 9th and 10th October 2002.
1.5. It was noted that the Department had invited two delegates to participate in a Conference Workshop, being held on 17th and 18th October 2002 at the Quality Hotel in Carrickfergus, as part of the consultation process to develop an Archives Policy for Northern Ireland. The Committee agreed that the Committee office would check individually, whether members would be able to attend.
Mr Hilditch and Mr McCarthy joined the meeting at 10:28am.
1.6. Members agreed to advise the Committee office if they would be able to accept the Minister's invitation to attend a reception and exhibition of collectors' fine art works in the Long Gallery at 6:30pm on Monday 23 September 2002.
1.7. The Committee's attention was drawn to a copy of a public advertisement for the appointment of Chairman and members to the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. Members were asked to consider drawing these important appointments to the attention of suitable people and encouraging them to apply.
1.8. The Committee's attention was also drawn to a copy of a public advertisement for the appointment of a new Chairman of the Fisheries Conservancy Board. Members voiced concern and agreed to write to the Minister to establish why he was considering the appointment of a new Chairman whilst the review of the Fisheries Conservancy Board had not yet been finalised.
1.9. The Committee was advised that DTZ Pieda would attend a future meeting to take its views on the future of the Fisheries Conservancy Board.
2. Minutes of meeting of 4 July 2002
2.1. The draft Minutes of Proceedings of the meeting of 4 July 2002 were agreed.
3. Matters arising
3.1. Para. 2.3: The Committee's attention was drawn to the response from the Ulster-Scots Agency to questions raised on 4 July 2002 and members were asked to report any issues they wished to raise to the Clerk in advance of next week's meeting.
3.2. Para. 6.1: The Committee's attention was drawn to correspondence from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development responding to concerns raised by the Foyle Association of Salmon and Sea Trout Anglers and the Ulster Angling Federation. It was agreed to seek the views of both organisations on the response.
3.3. Para. 9.1: The Committee was advised that the Republic of Ireland's World Cup soccer squad would be unable, due to match preparations and fixtures to accept an invitation to a reception in Parliament Buildings. It was agreed that since the proposal was for a joint reception with the Northern Ireland 1982 World Cup soccer squad, it could not now proceed. It was also agreed that the Chairperson would write to the Speaker advising him of the position and thanking him for his generous offer to host the joint reception.
Mr Hilditch left the meeting at 10:42am to attend a PAC meeting.
Mr Agnew joined the meeting at 10:46am.
Mr Shannon joined the meeting at 10:50am.
4. Committee Work Programme
4.1. A future Committee Work Programme was agreed, with the Clerk to prioritise new and existing requests from organisations to meet the Committee. Meeting with the Northern Ireland Sports Forum and the Playhouse in Londonderry were agreed in principle. It was agreed that the Arts Council of Northern Ireland would be asked to liase with the Newcastle Glee Singers to consider what assistance could be provided and that the Belfast Door Project would be directed to a more relevant Committee.
4.2. Members agreed to the holding of additional meetings where necessary to accommodate outstanding commitments in the work programme.
4.3. Members indicated interest in Sheridan Millenium's suggestion to make the visit to the Odyssey on 24 October 2002 an evening visit.
5. Proposed sale of Belfast City Council's Golf Course at Mallusk
5.1. The Committee was content that the Client Services sub-committee of the Belfast City Council Parks and Amenities Department had agreed to rescind the original decision and defer any further consideration of the future of the course until the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan process had been completed. It was agreed to acknowledge the helpful and open approach taken by the Council in this matter.
6. EC Habitats' Directive - Special Areas of Conservation (SAC)
6.1. The Committee noted the Department of the Environment's (DOE) response of 7 August 2002, arising from the European Commission's criticism of the SAC sites which had been put forward under the Habitats Directive. Members welcomed the advice that the DOE intends to submit sites for the protection of stocks of salmon, and the statement of commitment to the protection of stocks of Atlantic salmon.
7. Proposed Foyle Area (Control of Drift Net and Draft Net Fishing) Regulations 2002
7.1. The Committee noted that the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) had taken on board the Committee's concerns about the proposed level of 55 draft net licences, and had agreed to reduce the figure from 55 to 50. The Committee agreed that it was content with this lower limit, subject to a proviso that the Loughs Agency keeping the limit under review and endeavouring to reduce it in future years.
7.2. It was agreed to advise DARD that the Committee was content with the reduced limit of licences and to thank them for taking the Committee's views on board, and to copy the letter to the Fisheries Conservancy Board.
8. Freedom of Information Publication Scheme
8.1. The Clerk drew the Committee's attention to the content of the Department's Freedom of Information Publication Scheme, forwarded by the Minister for the Committee's approval. It was agreed to approve the document.
9. Seminar with the French Ministry of Culture
9.1. The Committee noted that the delegation from the French Ministry of Culture would be arriving on Wednesday 18 September 2002 for a 5-day visit to Northern Ireland.
9.2. Members were asked to confirm as soon as possible their availability to attend a reception and dinner for the delegation in the Members' Dining Room at 7:30pm on Wednesday 18 September 2002.
9.3. The Committee were advised that over one hundred individuals from the public and private sectors had registered an interest in attending a full-day seminar on Thursday 19 September 2002 in the Long Gallery in Parliament Buildings. Members were again asked to confirm their availability.
10. Arts Council briefing on Consultation Paper on Architecture and the Built Environment
10.1. The Arts Council gave a presentation on the Council's achievements in supporting architecture and the built heritage over recent years. The Council reported on its future key activities including the proposal to create an Architecture and Built Heritage Officer post. The Council advised that there would be a new 'public art website' launched later this month.
10.2. The Council particularly referred to 'Per cent for Art' and emphasised its desire for the Assembly to adopt such a policy which it would like to be made mandatory for all public sectors. The Council also said that it would like to see a 'champion' who might be an appropriate Minister or lay person.
10.3. The Council answered a series of questions about how it conducted its consultation, how the document had been accepted and the way forward
Mr Hilditch rejoined the meeting at 11:49am.
Mr Davis left the meeting at 11:50am.
10.4. The Committee suggested that the Council might wish to write setting out its thoughts on how it sees the Council influencing the quality of architecture and built heritage in Northern Ireland.
11. Any other business
11.1. Angling Ireland - Mr Wilson circulated a copy of an article, written by Frank Quigley, which appeared in a September edition of 'Angling Ireland', which is critical of the work of the devolved administration.
11.2. The Committee agreed to draw this article to the attention of the Minister, asking for his comments on how he and the Department would propose to deal with the series of criticisms.
11.3. Articles in Newsletter and Irish News - Mr Wilson also referred to articles in the Newsletter and the Irish News. The Newsletter article related a critical view of the work of River Bush Salmon Station from the anglers' viewpoint, whereas the Irish News wrote about the Station from a more positive perspective.
11.4. The Committee agreed to invite the management of the River Bush Salmon Station to meet with the Committee to address the negative points made in the article in the Newsletter.
11.5. ADSEA project - Mr Wilson raised the matter of progress on the Department's handling of the ADSEA project, following a recent meeting with the Minister. The Committee agreed to ask the Minister for comment on the progress of the project since that meeting.
12. Date of next meeting
12.1. The next meeting of the Committee will take place at 10:15am on Thursday 12 September 2002, in Room 152.
The Chairperson brought the meeting to a close at 12:17pm.
John Kelly
Deputy Chairperson