COMMITTEE FOR FINANCE AND PERSONNEL
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY, 7 May 2008
Room 152, Parliament Buildings
Present:
Mitchel McLaughlin MLA (Chairperson)
Roy Beggs MLA
Dr Stephen Farry MLA
Simon Hamilton MLA
Adrian McQuillan MLA
Declan O’Loan MLA
Dawn Purvis MLA
Peter Weir MLA
In Attendance:
Shane McAteer (Assembly Clerk)
Vivien Ireland (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Colin Jones (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Paula Sandford (Clerical Supervisor)
Chris McCreery (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mervyn Storey MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Fra McCann MLA
Jennifer McCann MLA
The meeting commenced at 10.06 am in open session.
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Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
Agreed : that the agenda items on Progress on PEACE II Closure and PEACE III Fundingand onCase Studies on Public Sector Jobs Location will be recorded by Hansard and the Official Reports published on the Assembly website.
The Chairperson welcomed Chris McCreery, the Committee’s new Clerical Officer.
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Draft Minutes of Proceedings of 30 April 2008
Agreed: for publication on the Assembly website.
Mr McQuillan joined the meeting at 10. 08 am.
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Matters Arising
The Committee noted the outstanding requests for information from the Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP).
Members noted that a briefing from Sir David Varney had been provisionally scheduled for 4 June.
Agreed : that a formal invitation will be issued to Sir David Varney to attend the Committee meeting on 4 June.
Agreed : that DFP officials will brief the Committee on 11 June on the Varney Review of the Competitiveness of Northern Ireland and on the timetable for the finalisation of the Regional Economic Strategy for Northern Ireland.
Members considered a list of key stakeholders to be asked to supply a short critique of the reviews by Sir David Varney.
Agreed : that the Institute of Directors and the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action will also be contacted.
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Correspondence
The Committee noted the following correspondence:
- DFP: Performance and Efficiency Delivery Unit (PEDU): Interaction with Statutory Committees/Impact of Departmental Efficiency Delivery Plans;
Agreed : that the correspondence on PEDU’s interaction with statutory committees will be forwarded to all statutory committees.
- DFP: Review of End Year Flexibility Arrangements;
- DFP: In-Year Monitoring Rounds: Indicative Timetable for 2008-09;
Agreed : that the timetable will be forwarded to all statutory committees, together with the final template for the provision of information on departmental monitoring rounds.
- Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment: Credit Union Inquiry;
Agreed : that the invitation for written evidence will be forwarded to DFP and that a response will be issued to the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment;
- Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister: Maze/Long Kesh Regeneration;
Agreed : that this will be forwarded to DFP as requested.
- Expressions of Support for the Rose Energy Biomass Plant.
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Building Regulations (Amendment) Bill 2008 – Evidence from Northern Ireland Environment Link
Ms Purvis joined the meeting at 10.25am.
The Committee took evidence from Sue Christie, Director, Northern Ireland Environment Link and Robert Colvin, Building Control, Craigavon Borough Council. The session was recorded by Hansard.
Members noted written responses from DFP to submissions which the Committee had received from previous witnesses on the Building Regulations (Amendment) Bill 2008.
Agreed : that the Official Report of today’s evidence from Northern Ireland Environment Link and proposed amendments received from the Association of Building Engineers will be forwarded to DFP for a written response.
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Progress on PEACE II Closure and PEACE III Funding – Evidence from DFP and the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB)
Dr Farry joined the meeting at 11.03 am.
The Committee took evidence from Martin Tyrrell, Head of European Division North/South Programmes Branch, DFP; Pat Colgan, Chief Executive, SEUPB and Margaret Bateson, SEUPB. The session was recorded by Hansard.
Mr Beggs declared an interest as a member of Carrickfergus Neighbourhood Development Group.
Ms Purvis declared an interest as Honorary Treasurer to the Board of Healing Through Remembering and as Vice-Chairperson of the management committee of the Ex-Prisoners Interpretive Centre.
Mr Weir declared an interest as a member of North Down Local Strategy Partnership and as Vice-President of the Northern Ireland Local Government Association.
Dr Farry declared an interest as a member of North Down Borough Council and as a Board member of the Community Relations Council.
Mr O’Loan declared an interest as a member of Ballymena Borough Council and as a member of Ballymena Local Strategy Partnership.
Agreed : that the witnesses will provide a written response to issues raised during the evidence session.
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Case Studies on Public Sector Jobs Location – Evidence from Department of Finance, Republic of Ireland
The Committee took evidence from the following officials from the Department of Finance, Republic of Ireland: Michael Errity, Assistant Secretary; Aine Stapleton, Principal Officer and Irene Kirwan, Assistant Principal Officer. The session was recorded by Hansard.
Mr Hamilton left the meeting at 12.05 pm.
Mr Hamilton joined the meeting at 12.29 pm.
Agreed : that the witnesses will provide a written response to issues raised during the evidence session.
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Committee Work Programme
Members considered the latest draft of the Committee work programme for the period up to summer recess.
Agreed : that next week’s consideration of the evidence taken on the Building Regulations (Amendment) Bill 2008 will be held in closed session as is normal practice.
Agreed : that the latest draft of the programme will be published on the Assembly website.
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Any Other Business
None.
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Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 14 May 2008 at 10.00 am in Room 152, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.35 pm.