COMMITTEE FOR EMPLOYMENT AND LEARNING
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY, 11 NOVEMBER 2009
ROOM 30, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present: Ms Sue Ramsey MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Paul Butler MLA
Mr Trevor Clarke MLA
Mr David Hilditch MLA
Ms Anna Lo MLA
Mr David McClarty MLA
Mr Pat Ramsey MLA
In Attendance: Mr Peter Hall (Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Sheila Mawhinney (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr Andy Cooper (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Bill Kinnear (Clerical Officer)
Apologies: Mr Thomas Buchanan MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr William Irwin MLA
Mrs Claire McGill MLA
The meeting opened at 10. 01 am. in public session
Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
1. Minutes of the meetings held on 4 November 2009
Agreed: The minutes were agreed.
2. Briefing by the Minister for Employment and Learning on the Department’s response to the Economic Downturn
10.09 am. Mr Trevor Clarke joined the meeting
10.40 am. The meeting was suspended to allow members to attend the Remembrance Day service.
11.18 am. The meeting resumed.
Sir Reg Empey, Minister for Employment and Learning, and Andrew Hamilton, Deputy Secretary, updated the Committee on the Department’s response to the economic downturn. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.
Agreed: Members agreed that the Minister would provide them with further information on quantifiable outcomes of the recent Job Fairs in the North-West; on the award process of research funding to universities; and on issues regarding notices of redundancy in cases of liquidation or insolvency.
3. Briefing by representatives from UNISON on issues concerning its Women’s Committee
The Committee received a briefing from Pamela Dooley, Head of Development and Organisation, Jonathan Swallow, Consultant, and Fidelma Carolan, Lifelong Learning Officer, on proposed courses for women prisoners. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.
Agreed: Members agreed to arrange an on-site visit to a women’s prison.
4. Briefing from NOW and the Orchardville Society on supported employment opportunities
Alan Thomson, from the Orchardville Society, and Maeve Monaghan from NOW, briefed the Committee on their partnership delivery to provide employment opportunities for people with learning disabilities. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.
5. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee will be held on Wednesday, 18 November 2009 in the Boardroom at the Belfast campus of the University of Ulster.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1.00 pm.