PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Thursday, 6 March 2008
Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings
Present:
Mr John O’Dowd (Chairperson)
Mr Roy Beggs (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Thomas Burns
Mr John Dallat
Mr Simon Hamilton
Mr Ian McCrea
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
Ms Dawn Purvis
In Attendance:
Mr Jim Beatty (Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Gillian Lewis (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Nicola Shephard (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Ricky Shek (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mr Jonathan Craig
Mr David Hilditch
Mr Ian McCrea
The meeting opened at 2.00pm in public session.
- The Chairperson welcomed Mr Thomas Burns as a member of the Committee. Mr Burns confirmed that his interests were as listed in the Register of Members’ Interests.
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Apologies.
Apologies are listed above.
- The Chairperson welcomed Mr John Dowdall CB, Comptroller & Auditor General (C&AG) to the meeting.
Evidence on the NIAO Report ‘Good Governance – Effective Relationships between Departments and their Arm’s Length Bodies’.
Mr Beggs declared an interest in that his father is Chairperson of an Education and Library Board, and Mr Beggs is a member of the Drainage Council.
The Committee took oral evidence on the NIAO report ‘Good Governance – Effective Relationships between Departments and their Arm’s Length Bodies’, and some oral evidence on issues arising from the Northern Ireland Events Company, from Mr Leo O’Reilly, Additional Accounting Officer, Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP), Mr Paul Sweeney, Accounting Officer, Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, and Mr David Thomson, Head of Supply, DFP.
The witnesses answered a number of questions put by the Committee.
3.45pm Mr Beggs left the meeting.
Members requested that the witnesses should provide additional information to the Clerk on some issues raised during the evidence session.
4.07pm The evidence session finished.
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Minutes of the meeting on 28 February 2008.
Agreed: The minutes were agreed.
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Press Release.
Members considered a draft press release for the launch of the Report on Northern Ireland Resource Accounts – Northern Ireland Child Support Agency Client Funds 2003-04 – 2006-07.
Agreed: Members agreed the press release with minor amendments.
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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 Thursday, 13 March 2008 at 2.00pm in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.10pm.