COMMITTEE FOR EMPLOYMENT AND LEARNING
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY, 10TH DECEMBER 2008
EMPLOYMENT SERVICES BOARD, MILLENNIUM OUTREACH CENTRE,
SPRINGFIELD ROAD, BELFAST
Present:
Ms Sue Ramsey MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Robin Newton MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Alex Attwood MLA
Mr Paul Butler MLA
Rev Dr Robert Coulter MLA
Mr Alex Easton MLA
Mr David Hilditch MLA
Ms Anna Lo MLA
Mr David McClarty MLA
Mrs Claire McGill MLA
In Attendance:
Mr Peter Hall (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Trevor Allen (Assistant Committee Clerk)
Mr Richard Keating (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr John Devlin (Clerical Supervisor)
Ms Jessica Dougan (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mr William Irwin MLA
The meeting opened at 10:34am in public session.
Apologies
Apologies are detailed above .
1. Minutes of the meeting held on 3 rd December 2008
Agreed: The minutes were agreed.
Agreed: Members noted the Committee’s draft press release in relation to this meeting and agreed that it be issued.
Members noted a newspaper article, printed in the News Letter on 9 th December, relating to the Minister’s forthcoming visit to North Carolina.
Agreed: The Committee noted a press release from the Department, issued on 9 th December, offering clarification of the timing of the Review of Fees and Student Finance and agreed that the Chairperson write to Queen’s University and the University of Ulster on this issue.
Member also noted a memo from the Committee for Finance and Personnel on its request to meet with local banks to discuss their role in the current economic downturn.
2. Departmental briefing on the December Monitoring Round
The Committee received a briefing from Departmental Officials: Greg McConnell, Deputy Secretary, and Trevor Connolly, Director of Finance & European Division , on the December Monitoring Round. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.
11:23am The meeting moved into closed session
3. Consideration of Committee’s Review of Teacher Education report
Agreed: The Committee agreed the Membership and Powers section of the report.
Agreed: The Committee agreed, subject to amendment, the Executive Summary section of the report.
Agreed: The Committee agreed the Introduction section of the report.
Agreed: The Committee agreed, subject to amendment, the “Record of providers and provision” part of the Consideration of Evidence section of the report.
11:44am Mr Hilditch left the meeting
11:45am The meeting moved into public session
4. Matter Arising
Training our way out of recession: DEL activity in light of the economic downturn
Agreed: Members agreed that the Chairperson write to the Minister on the work of the Department’s Employment Service and it Redundancy Service.
11:55am Mr Hilditch returned
5. Briefing from the Employment Services Board (ESB)
The Committee received a briefing from representatives of the Employment Services Board (ESB): Padraic White, Chair of the ESB & Chair of the West Belfast Task Force, John Simpson, Member of the ESB & Chair of the Greater Shankill Task Force, Gerry McConville, Chair of the West Belfast Partnership Board, Jackie Redpath, CEO of the Greater Shankill Partnership Board, Deirdre Timoney, Director of the Employers’ Forum, and Tom Mervyn, Director of ESB , on the work and programmes of the ESB and issues and obstacles facing the most disadvantaged people of West Belfast and the Greater Shankill area. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Chairperson write to the Minister regarding the proposal to support LEMIS beyond March 2010.
6. Chairperson’s Business
Members noted a number of items of correspondence and agreed responses. The Committee also noted the forthcoming BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition 2009.
7. Departmental Press Notices
Members noted a Departmental press release regarding the Department’s review of variable student fees issued on 2 nd December.
8. Any Other Business
Agreed: Members agreed that the Committee should meet at 12:30pm on Tuesday 13 th January 2009 to take forward the report on its Review of Teacher Education.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Chairperson write to the Minister seeking an update on the position regarding inspections being carried out by the Department and the Education and Training Inspectorate of the Steps to Work Programme’s training providers.
9. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 14th January 2009 at 10.30am at Stranmillis University College, Stranmillis Road, Belfast.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12:54pm.