PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 14 JUNE 2007
SENATE CHAMBER, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present: Mr John O Dowd (Chairperson)
Mr Roy Beggs (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Willie Clarke
Mr Jonathan Craig
Mr John Dallat
Mr Simon Hamilton
Mr David Hilditch
Mr Trevor Lunn
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
Ms Dawn Purvis
In Attendance: Mrs Debbie Pritchard (Principal Clerk)
Mrs Cathie White (Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Gillian Lewis (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Pauline Hunter (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr John Lunny (Clerical Officer)
Apologies: Mr Patsy McGlone
The meeting opened at 2.00pm in public session.
1. Apologies.
Apologies are detailed above.
2. The Committee met in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings, where it was considering the Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) Report on ‘Springvale Educational Village Project’ (HC 40). The Chairperson welcomed Mr John Dowdall, Comptroller & Auditor General (C&AG) and Mr David Thomson, Treasury Officer of Accounts (TOA) to the meeting.
3. Evidence on the NIAO Report ‘Springvale Educational Village Project’.
Mr Beggs declared an interest as a member of the Court of the University of Ulster.
The Committee took oral evidence on the NIAO report ‘Springvale Educational Village Project’ from Dr Aideen McGinley, Accounting Officer, Department of Employment and Learning (DEL); Mr David McAuley, Director of Strategy and Employment Rights Division, DEL, and Professor Richard Barnett, Vice Chancellor, University of Ulster. The witnesses answered a number of questions put by the Committee.
The Committee requested that Dr McGinley should provide additional information on issues raised by members during the evidence session to the Clerk.
3.52pm Mr Craig left the meeting.
4.16pm Mr Lunn left the meeting.
4.18pm The evidence session finished and the witnesses left the meeting.
4. Minutes of the meeting on 7 June 2007.
Agreed: The minutes were agreed as amended.
5. Matters arising.
Members noted a paper prepared by Mr David Thomson, TOA, explaining Optimism Bias.
Members noted a paper from The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland.
Agreed: Members agreed that the paper should be forwarded to the C&AG for follow up and to report back to the Committee.
Members noted the response from the Editor of Debates to the Clerk’s correspondence enquiring if the Official Report of proceedings for the Committee’s oral evidence sessions could be made available any earlier.
Agreed: Members agreed to revisit this matter at next week’s meeting.
6. Any other business.
Members noted that the Official Report of proceedings (Hansard Transcripts) would be forwarded as soon as possible and issues arising would be discussed at the next meeting.
Members noted that the first draft of their report on ‘Springvale Educational Village Project’ would be available for discussion after summer recess.
Members noted that the first draft of the Committee’s report on ‘The Upgrade to the Belfast to Bangor Railway Line’ would be available for discussion at next week’s meeting.
Members noted a letter received by the Chairperson from C&AG regarding a Ministerial Direction. The C&AG will review the outcome of the expenditure and determine whether it merits a report in due course. Members also noted a paper from C&AG explaining the background to Ministerial Directions.
Agreed: Members agreed to discuss the C&AG’s and the Committee’s role in Ministerial Directions at next week’s meeting.
7. Date, time and place of next meeting.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 21 June 2007 at 2.00pm in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.25pm.