ENTERPRISE, TRADE AND INVESTMENT COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 16 MAY 2001 AT 11.30AM
IN ROOM 144
PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present: Mr P Doherty (Chairperson)
Mr S Neeson (Deputy Chairperson)
Mrs A Courtney
Mr D McClarty
Dr A McDonnell
Ms J Morrice
Dr D O'Hagan
Mr J Wells
In attendance: Mrs C White (Committee Clerk)
Miss J Presho (Executive Support)
Mr D Donaldson (Administrative Support)
Mr P Johnston (Assembly Legal Adviser)
Apologies: Mr A Attwood
In attendance for the public session at 11.30am: Penn-Nyla Clothing Manufacturer - Mr L Green, Mr M McDaid
In attendance for the public session at 12.10pm: Office of Law Reform, Department of Finance and Personnel - Mr M Foster, Mr N Lambe
The meeting opened, in public, at 11.30am
Mr Neeson assumed the Chair in the absence of the Chairperson
1. Public evidence session at 11.30am - Penn-Nyla Clothing Manufacturer
1.1 Trade Unions representatives from Penn-Nyla gave evidence, in public, to the Committee on the impending closure of the Lurgan factory with the potential loss of 140 jobs. They gave a brief presentation and answered a number of questions put by the Committee.
Agreed - to issue a letter to the Minister detailing the trade unions concerns and to ascertain the current position of Catalyst plc as recommended by the Kurt Salmon report.
Agreed - to issue a press release supporting the trade unions.
Agreed - to invite management from Penn-Nyla Clothing Manufacturer to a meeting with the Committee after the local and general elections have been held.
Mr Doherty joined the meeting at 11.55pm
Mrs Courtney joined the meeting at 11.55pm
Mr Doherty assumed the Chair at 12.10pm
Product Liability (Amendment) Bill (NIA 13/00)
2. Public evidence session at 12.10pm - Office of Law Reform, Department of Finance and Personnel
2.1 Officials from the Office of Law Reform gave evidence, in public, to the Committee on the Product Liability (Amendment) Bill. The officials outlined the reasons for the introduction of the Bill and answered a number of questions put by the Committee on the implications of the Bill in Northern Ireland.
Ms Morrice left the meeting at 12.30pm
2.2 The Committee carried out a detailed clause by clause scrutiny of the Product Liability (Amendment) Bill. The clauses were read along with the related commentary in the Explanatory and Financial Memorandum.
Clause 1 was considered.
Agreed - that the Committee is content with the clause 1 as drafted.
Clause 2 was considered.
Agreed - that the Committee is content with the clause 2 as drafted.
Clause 3 was considered.
Agreed - that the Committee is content with the clause 3 as drafted.
2.3 The Committee considered the responses from the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development and the Committee for Finance and Personnel and agreed with the recommendation made by the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development. However, the Committee considered that the provisions of the Bill are necessary to implement the Directive.
2.4 The Committee considered the draft report.
Agreed - that the Committee ordered the draft report to be printed.
The meeting went into private session at 12.40pm
3. Minutes of the last meeting
Agreed - the minutes of 9 May.
4. Any other business
4.1 The Committee Clerk reported that she had received the 2001-02 main estimates - proof copy. Copies were circulated to members.
Agreed - if members have any concerns regarding the estimates they should contact the Committee Clerk to arrange a meeting.
The meeting adjourned at 12.45pm
Mr P Doherty
(Chairperson)