COMMITTEE FOR EDUCATION
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Tuesday, 20 November 2007
Room 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr S Wilson (Chairperson)
Mr D Bradley (Deputy Chairperson)
Mrs M Bradley
Mr P Butler
Rt Hon J Donaldson
Mr T Lunn
Miss M McIlveen
Mr K Robinson
Mr M Storey
In Attendance:
Mr J Simmons (Assembly Clerk)
Mrs K O’Hanlon (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr D Douglas (Clerical Supervisor)
Ms U McCanny (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
The Chairperson opened the meeting at 3.35pm in closed session.
-
Apologies
The Chairperson apologised that it would be necessary for him to leave the meeting early. The Deputy Chairperson also apologised that it would be necessary for him to leave the meeting early.
-
Ministerial Briefing on the Draft Budget 2008
The Minister for Education, Caitríona Ruane; Will Haire, Permanent Secretary; and Brian Morrow, Financial Planning Branch, Department of Education, joined the meeting at 3.35pm. The Minister gave a brief presentation on the implications of the Draft Budget 2008 for education, and informed the Committee that she will analyse the level of funding available to ensure that allocations make the best use of available resources. This was followed by a question and answer session.
Mr Butler joined the meeting at 3.39pm.
Mr Robinson joined the meeting at 3.40pm.
Mr Storey joined the meeting at 3.41pm.
-
Ministerial Update on the Classroom Assistants’ Dispute
The Minister provided the Committee with a brief update on the classroom assistants’ dispute. The Minister informed the Committee that she had written to all classroom assistants, had met with a number of School Principals and that she planned to meet with more school principals in the near future, particularly Principals of Special Schools.
Mr Lunn joined the meeting at 3.56pm.
Rt Hon J Donaldson left the meeting at 4.08pm.
-
Discussion on the implications of the Draft Budget
A discussion took place on the resource budget pressures in particular, including savings from school closures and amalgamations.
The Chairperson asked the Committee to nominate a member to take the chair in the proposed absence of both the Chairperson and the Deputy Chairperson. Mr Robinson moved
“That Mr Storey should take the chair of the Committee.”
Members agreed.
Mr Storey took the chair at 4.14pm.
Mr Wilson left the meeting at 4.14pm.
Mr Bradley left the meeting at 4.16pm.
The meeting concluded with a request to the Minister to provide the Committee as soon as possible with her thinking on the distribution of the available resource allocation.
-
Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Friday 23 November 2007 at 10.30pm in Room 135, Parliament Buildings.
Mr Storey adjourned the meeting at 4.19pm.