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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS THIRTY FIFTH MEETING OF THE HIGHER AND
FURTHER EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT COMMITTEE 1. Draft Minutes of Meeting on 30 November 2000 Present: Dr E Birnie (Chairman) In Attendance: Mrs E Sung Apologies: Mrs Joan Carson Roger Hutchinson for early departure 1. Draft Minutes of Meeting on 30 November 2000 *Minutes agreed unamended. Proposed: John Dallat Noted: Individual members of the Committee have asked for the following to be recorded. Mr Kelly restated his view that the Committee should be given notice in advance of meetings between the Chairman, Deputy Chairman and the Minister, in order to allow Members to put forward their views. The agenda for any such meeting should be set by the Committee. Dr Birnie noted that the Minister had requested that the Committee provide an agenda for his evidence session to the whole Committee. (The Minister had not suggested or contributed to the Chairman’s draft agenda.) Dr Birnie had put the draft agenda to the meeting on the 30 November and it was agreed by the Committee before being put to the Minister. Mr Carrick spoke of the Chairman’s and his handling of the informal meeting held with the Minister on 27 November 2000. Any discussion which took place had been firmly based on views which had Committee members’ support, and was undertaken in the best interests of the Committee and the student body as a whole. Mr Dallat recorded his complete confidence in the ability of the Chairman and Deputy Chairman to handle previous and any future meetings on behalf of the Committee. 2.1 Meeting with the Minister Noted: The Minister, Dr Farren, cannot attend the Committee at any time on Thursday 14 December. He has offered an alternative time of 10.30 – 11.30 am on Friday 15 December. Joe Byrne, John Dallat and Roger Hutchinson have other commitments. Agreed: The Clerk to check Members’ availability for the morning of Friday 15 December; and whether Members also wished to meet at 2 pm on Thursday 14 December. Agreed: As the Minister is only able to attend the Committee for one hour on 15 December and his main focus is likely to be on Student Finance, it is unlikely that there will be time to cover all the items on the agreed agenda. The Minister will be asked to attend for a fuller and broader briefing early in the New Year. 2.2 Walsh Visa Programme Agreed: The Clerk will draft a letter to the Minister outlining the Committee’s view of key priorities for the Programme, based on a short paper issued to members at 30 November meeting. 2.3Committee Enquiry Agreed: Following consideration of a short paper tabled last week, outlining the pros and cons of a European study visit, members agreed the following ways to limit the cost.
2.4 Article by the Minister in Irish News 6 December Noted: In respect of this article the following points were made: Mr Kelly– found the article to be divisive and highly political in tone. The Committee had a duty to respond in a public forum. Any response from the Chairman must be on behalf of the entire Committee. Mervyn Carrick – said the article was disappointingly political. He expressed concern that the Minister had attacked the credibility of the Committee’s work. The Chairman should be given an opportunity to respond using the same platform – any response from the Committee must be measured in tone. Mr Beggs – agreed that a measured response should issue. Mr Dallat – noted that during Assembly debate any dissension by SDLP Members of the Committee was on the motion and not on the report. Agreed: The Chairman would submit a response to the Irish News. The Committee heard evidence from Professor Patrick Murphy, Director of BIFHE Kevin Chambers (Deputy Director, Estates). Questions covered the following areas:
3.1 Departmental officials, Adrian Arbuthnot (Director, Divisional Regional Operations), and John McKeown (Employment Guidance and Regional Support) gave evidence in respect of how the Department’s guidance service operates and its vision for the future. Officials advised members that the Department had undertaken a review of Careers Guidance, the results of which were due in four weeks’ time. Members expressed an interest in having early sight of the review and advised officials of their interest in responding to the interim report. Members asked questions in relation to the following areas.
4.1 P/T Workers Regulations Noted: The Minister will move a motion in respect of the P/T Workers Regulations in his own name. The Speaker will allocate time on the day. No amendments can be tabled. 4.2 Letter from AUT Agreed: A letter from the Association of University Teachers will be copied to Members on the issues of pay, working conditions and their concerns over David Blunkett’s 3-year package. 4.3 SR – on Fair Employment Legislation laid by OFM/DFM Noted: The Clerk had been approached by the Clerk of Business to ask if the Committee would take responsibility for the Committee stage of a Statutory Rule, laid by OFM/DFM on Fair Employment legislation. Noted: 4.4 A letter from Minister in relation to his proposed announcement on 8 December in relation to the outcome of the Strategic Investment Initiative for the Further Education Colleges in Northern Ireland. Meeting closed at 4.40 pm. Esmond Birnie ESMOND BIRNIE |