PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 12 MARCH 2009
CONFERENCE ROOM, INTERTRADEIRELAND, NEWRY
Present:
Mr Paul Maskey (Chairperson)
Mr Roy Beggs (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Jonathan Craig
Mr John Dallat
Mr Trevor Lunn
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
Mr Jim Shannon
Mr Jim Wells
In Attendance:
Ms Alison Ross (Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Gillian Lewis (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr John Lunny (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Darren Weir (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mr Thomas Burns
Ms Dawn Purvis
Mr George Robinson
The meeting opened at 2.00pm in public session.
The Chairperson thanked Mr Liam Nellis, Chief Executive, InterTradeIreland, for hosting the Committee’s meeting in their offices, and welcomed Mr Kieran Donnelly, Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General, and Mr David Thomson, Treasury Officer of Accounts (TOA) to the meeting.
1. Apologies.
Apologies are listed above.
2. Matters arising.
The Chairperson updated members on the arrangements for the launch of the Committee Report on Road Openings by Utilities.
Agreed: Members agreed to embargo the report until 00.01am on Monday, 23 March 2009.
Agreed: Members agreed to confirm to the Clerk, by 19 March 2009, whether they would be attending the launch of the report on Monday, 23 March 2009.
3. Evidence on the NIAO Report ‘Financial Auditing and Reporting: Accountability of North/South Bodies 1999-2007’.
The Committee took oral evidence on the NIAO report ‘Financial Auditing and Reporting: Accountability of North/South Bodies 1999-2007’ from Mr David Sterling, Deputy Secretary, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Mr Liam Nellis, Chief Executive, InterTradeIreland, Mr Laurence Lord, Corporate Services Director, InterTradeIreland, MrBill Pauley, Head of European Division, Department of Finance and Personnel, Mr Pat Colgan, Chief Executive, Special EU Programmes Body, and Ms Gina McIntyre, Director of Corporate Services, Special EU Programmes Body.
2.25pm Mr Dallat joined the meeting.
The witnesses answered a number of questions put by the Committee.
3.18pm Mr Shannon left the meeting.
3.19pm Mr Wells left the meeting.
The following members declared an interest before the witnesses from the Special EU Programmes Body were questioned:
Mr Beggs: Treasurer of Carrickfergus Neighbourhood Development Group and former member of Carrickfergus Local Strategic Partnership.
Mr Craig: Member of Lisburn and Castlereagh PEACE III Partnership.
Mr Maskey: Member of Belfast City Council; Director of Belfast Visitor Convention Bureau; Director of Upper Andersonstown Community Forum; Director of Féile an Phobail; Fáilte Feirste Thiar; and West Belfast Partnership Economic Development Committee.
Members requested that the witnesses should provide additional information to the Clerk on some issues raised as a result of the evidence session.
4.14pm Mr McLaughlin left the meeting.
4.35pm The evidence session finished and the witnesses left the meeting.
4. Minutes of the meeting on 5 March 2009.
Agreed : The minutes were agreed.
5. Any other business.
Members noted a paper from the Committee for Finance and Personnel relating to the HR Connect project.
6. Date, time and place of next meeting.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 19 March 2009 at 2.00pm in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.36pm.