PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 15 OCTOBER 2009
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Paul Maskey (Chairperson)
Mr Roy Beggs (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr John Dallat
Rt Hon Jeffrey Donaldson MP MLA
Mr David Hilditch
Mr Trevor Lunn
Mr Patsy McGlone
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
Mr Jim Shannon
In Attendance:
Ms Aoibhinn Treanor (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Phil Pateman (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Miss Danielle Best (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Darren Weir (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mr Jonathan Craig
Ms Dawn Purvis
The meeting opened at 2.03 pm in public session.
1. Apologies.
Apologies are listed above.
2. Minutes of the meeting on 8 October 2009
Agreed: The minutes of the last meeting were agreed.
3. Matters arising:
MOR Update – Report on Springvale Educational Project
Members noted the MOR update from Catherine Bell, Acting Accounting Officer, Department of Employment.
2.08 pm Mr Shannon entered the meeting.
Agreed: Members agreed to refer the correspondence to the DEL Committee to follow up the two outstanding recommendations.
Correspondence from the Committee for Finance and Personnel
- Members considered correspondence from the Committee relating to Post Project Evaluations that were due for completion in May 2009.
Agreed: Members agreed to write to the Department for further detail on this item; and asked the NIAO to research a related issue.
- Members considered and noted correspondence from the Committee relating to an analysis of sickness absence in NI departments which included a report issued by the Northern Ireland Statistic and Research Agency (NISRA) as a follow up to a recommendation made by the Committee in a previous report.
- Members considered correspondence from the Committee relating the DFP’s performance against PSA targets for 2008/09 which highlights the potential for discrepancy in reporting systems between individual departments.
Agreed: Members agreed to note this correspondence and to reflect it in the Committee’s report on PSAs.
Correspondence received from the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure
Members considered and noted correspondence received from Mr Paul Sweeney, Accounting Officer of the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, providing information requested by the Committee in relation to its draft Fourth Composite Report.
2.30 pm the meeting went into closed session.
2.31 pm Mr Shannon entered the meeting.
4. Briefing on NIAO report ‘Review of New Deal 25+’.
Mr Kieran Donnelly, C&AG; Mr Robert Hutcheson, Director; Alan Orme, Audit Manager; and Mr Joe Campbell, Audit Manager; briefed the Committee on the report.
The witnesses answered a number of questions put by members.
2.56 pm Mr McGlone left the meeting.
2.57pm Mr Dallat left the meeting.
5. Issues Paper on evidence session on NIAO report ‘Public Service Agreements – Measuring Performance’.
Members considered an issues paper on this evidence session.
6. Issues Paper on evidence session on NIAO report ‘Irish Sport Horse Genetic Testing Unit Ltd: Transfer and Disposal of Assets’.
Members considered an issues paper on this evidence session.
7. Consideration of Draft Committee Report on The Management of Social Housing Rent Collection and Arrears.
3.04 pm Mr McLaughlin left the meeting.
3.05 pm Mr Dallat entered the meeting.
3.06 pm Mr Hilditch left the meeting.
Paragraphs 1 – 14 read and agreed.
3.08 pm Mr McLaughlin entered the meeting.
Paragraph 15 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 16 read and agreed.
Paragraph 17 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 18 – 19 read and agreed.
Paragraph 20 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 21 – 23 read and agreed.
Paragraph 24 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 25 read and agreed.
Paragraph 26 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 27 – 32 read and agreed.
Paragraph 33 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 34 – 35 read and agreed.
Paragraph 36 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 37 – 42 read and agreed.
3.38 pm Mr Dallat left the meeting.
Paragraph 43 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraphs 44 – 45 read and agreed.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to insert a paragraph.
Paragraph 46 read and agreed.
Paragraph 47 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 48 – 50 read and agreed.
Paragraph 51 read, amended and agreed.
Paragraph 52 – 55 read and agreed.
Paragraph 56 read, amended and agreed.
4.00pm Mr Shannon left the meeting.
Agreed: Members ordered the report to be printed.
Agreed: Members agreed that the report would be embargoed until 00.01 am on Thursday, 5 November 2009.
Agreed: Members agreed to launch the report with a press release to be agreed at a later meeting and to a Committee launch at a relevant venue.
8. Consideration of Draft Committee Report on Bringing the SS Nomadic to Belfast
Paragraphs 1 – 16 read and agreed
Recommendation 1 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 17 – 18 read and agreed.
Recommendation 2 read and agreed.
Paragraphs 19 – 24 read and agreed.
Recommendation 3 read and agreed.
Recommendation 4 read and agreed.
Paragraph 26 read, amended and agreed.
Recommendation 5 read and agreed.
Agreed: Members ordered the report to be printed.
Agreed: Members agreed that the report would be embargoed until 00.01 am on Thursday, 12 November 2009.
Agreed: Members agreed to launch the report with a press release to be agreed at a later meeting and to a Committee launch at a relevant venue.
9. Any other business
Members noted and agreed the revised data marking of Committee papers.
10. Day, time and place of the next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 22 October 2009 at 2.00 pm in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings.
A working lunch will be provided at 12.45 pm in room 152.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4.20 pm.