COMMITTEE FOR ENTERPRISE, TRADE AND INVESTMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 7 MAY 2009
ECIT BUILDING, INNOVATION CENTRE, TITANIC QUARTER, BELFAST
Present:
Mr Mark Durkan MP (Chairperson)
Dr Alasdair McDonnell MP
Mr Simon Hamilton
Mr Alan McFarland
Mr Gerry McHugh
Mr Paul Butler
Mr Sean Neeson
Mr Robin Newton
In Attendance:
Mr Jim McManus (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Paul Connolly (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr Jim Nulty (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Kevin Stewart (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Ms Jennifer McCann (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Leslie Cree
The meeting opened at 10.32 a.m. in public session.
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Minutes of meeting held on 30 April
Agreed: The draft minutes of the meeting on 30 April were agreed
3. Matters arising
Members noted draft terms of reference for an Inquiry into the Single Electricity Market.
Agreed: To defer further consideration.
Members noted the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment’s response to an Assembly Question on the new electricity interconnector.
Members noted that a response had still not yet been received from the Department regarding funding of the Tourism Signature Projects.
Agreed: That the Clerk should seek an early response from the Department.
Members noted a request from Departmental officials to receive a copy of Ian Pearson’s reply regarding the Minister’s response to the Credit Union Inquiry Report.
Agreed: To copy Ian Pearson’s reply to DETI officials.
Members noted further information from the Consumer Council concerning the impact of the economic downturn.
Agreed: That the Clerk should include details in his analysis paper.
Members noted the latest developments concerning the Visteon Plant.
Agreed: To await update paper from the Department
Agreed: To share information and liaise closely with the Employment and Learning Committee and to clarify any issues of overlap.
Member considered a paper provided by the Clerk which summarised the main points raised by members during the recent presentation provided by the Independent Economic Policy Review Panel.
Agreed: To copy the Clerk’s note to Professor Barnett.
Members noted the latest position concerning the Presbyterian Mutual Society.
Agreed: To arrange closed meetings with PMS Administrator, FSA and DETI Regulator.
Simon Hamilton joined the meeting at 11.12 a.m.
Members discussed the Assembly Research Paper on Marine Energy.
Agreed: To pass a copy of the paper to the Department and to post on website.
Members noted that the briefings from Advice NI and Citizen’s Advice, which were provisionally scheduled to take place on the 14 May, have been cancelled and will be rescheduled at a later date.
Agreed: To bring forward a written briefing paper on the Nortel Project to the 14 May meeting.
4. Matrix Update
Officials joined the meeting at 10.50 a.m.
Members received a briefing from officials from the Matrix Secretariat, Anne Conaty and Bernard McKeown. Officials provided an overview of progress and way forward for Matrix since the Committee were last briefed in December 2008. Key issues discussed included the two strands of the implementation process, the potential for a share of future global markets and the Matrix response to the current economic climate.
Officials left the meeting at 11.34 a.m.
5. Gaelectric Briefing on Proposed Compressed Air Energy Storage at Larne.
Mr McGrane joined the meeting at 11.35 a.m.
Mr Keith McGrane, Operations Manager, Gaelectric, briefed the Committee on the proposed Compressed Air Energy Storage Facility in Larne. Key issues discussed included how the system will operate, the reasons for locating in Larne and the economic, energy and employment benefits which will arise from future development.
Paul Butler left the meeting at 11.45 a.m.
Alasdair McDonnell joined the meeting at 11.55 a.m.
Mr McGrane left the meeting at 12.12 p.m.
6. Economic Downturn – Briefing from Northern Ireland Manufacturing Group.
NI Manufacturing Group members joined the meeting at 12.15 p.m.
Members received a briefing from Brian Gray, Chief Executive, NI Manufacturing Group; Michael Wightman, Chairman, NI Manufacturing Group (Managing Director, Cubis Industries); Niall Irwin, Treasurer, NI Manufacturing Group (Joint Managing Director W.D. Irwin & Sons Ltd.) and Con O’Neill, Secretary, NI Manufacturing (Finance Director, Harland & Wolff Heavy Industries). Key issues discussed included the need for a ‘rates holiday’ for businesses and the positive impact this would have, how such a scheme might operate and the apparent disparity between how banks are treating business customers here compared to GB.
NI Manufacturing Group membersleft the meeting at 12.46 p.m.
7. DETI progress against 2008/2009 Targets
Agreed: To defer this item to next week’s meeting.
8. Correspondence
The Committee noted the following items of correspondence.
- Letter supplied via Sean Neeson from Tom Moore highlighting concerns regarding the current status of the HSENI Board and its fitness for purpose.
Agreed: That Sean Neeson would take the matter forward on behalf of the individual and that the Committee would take forward the general issue with the Department.
- Letter from Robin Newton, in his capacity as Chair of the Audit Committee, regarding new International Reporting Standards.
Agreed: To copy the letter to the Department and to seek comments.
9. Date of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Thursday 14 May at 10.30a.m., Room 21, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.55 pm.