PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY, 17 JUNE 2010
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Paul Maskey (Chairperson)
Mr Roy Beggs (Deputy Chairperson)
The Lord Browne
Mr Trevor Lunn
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
Mr Patsy McGlone
Mr Stephen Moutray
Ms Dawn Purvis
Mr Jim Shannon
In Attendance:
Miss Aoibhinn Treanor (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Phil Pateman (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Miss Danielle Best (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Darren Weir (Clerical Officer)
Also in Attendance: Mr Damien Martin (Clerk Assistant)
Apologies: Mr John Dallat
Mr David Hilditch
2:08 pm the meeting opened in public session.
1. Apologies
Apologies are listed above.
2. Minutes of meeting held on 10 June 2010.
Agreed: The minutes of the last meeting were agreed.
3. Matters arising
Press Release on the Committee Report ‘Combating Organised Crime’.
Members agreed the proposed press release for the Committee’s Report on ‘Combating Organised Crime’.
4. Briefing session from Felicity Huston, Commissioner for Public Appointments
2:15 pm Mr Beggs entered the meeting.
2:34 pm Mr McGlone entered the meeting.
Ms Felicity Huston, Commissioner for Public Appointments briefed the Committee on her role as Commissioner and the improvements implemented as a result of the Committee’s previous report on ‘Hospitality Association of Northern Ireland: A Case Study in Financial Management and the Public Appointments Process’.
Ms Huston answered a number of questions put by members.
Agreed: Members agreed that Ms Felicity Huston, Commissioner for Public Appointments remain in closed session.
2:46 pm Ms Purvis left the meeting.
2:50 pm Mr Shannon entered the meeting.
2:51 pm Mr Beggs left the meeting.
2:46 pm Mr Lunn, Mr McGlone and Mr Moutray left the meeting.
The Committee agreed to return to agenda item 5, the motion for debate, at the end of the meeting.
5. Briefing on the Audit Office Report on ‘Measuring the Performance of NI Water’.
3:00 pm The meeting went into closed session after initial remarks on both reports by the C&AG.
Ms Felicity Huston briefed members before leaving the meeting.
Mr Kieran Donnelly, C&AG; Mr Eddie Bradley, Assistant Auditor General; Mr Paul Craig, Audit Manager; and Mrs Dorothy Smith Senior Auditor; briefed the Committee on the report.
The C&AG continued to brief members in private session.
2:46 pm Mr Lunn entered the meeting.
3:40 pm Mr Shannon left the meeting
3:45 pm Mr Beggs and Ms Purvis entered the meeting.
6. Briefing on the Audit Office Memorandum on ‘Governance of NI Water’.
Mr Kieran Donnelly, C&AG; Mr Stephen McCormick, Director; Miss Jacqueline O’Brien, Audit Manager; and Mr Joe Campbell, Audit Manager; briefed the Committee on the report.
The C&AG continued to brief members in private session.
7. Committee Report on ‘Campsie Office Accomodation and Synergy e-Business Incubator’.
Members noted correspondence from Mr David Sterling, Accounting Officer, DETI providing the information requested at the evidence session on 20 May 2010.
Agreed: Members agreed to include the response in the forthcoming report.
4:24 pm Mr McLaughlin left the meeting.
8. Report on North/South Bodies’.
Agreed: Members ordered the report to be printed.
Agreed: Members agreed that the report would be embargoed until 00.01 am on Wednesday, 30 June 2010.
Agreed: Members agreed to launch the report with a press release to be agreed at a later meeting and subject to press interest to participate in a media pre-brief.
9. Motion for Debate
The Committee returned to item 5.
Members considered and agreed the proposed motion for debate for 29 June 2010.
10. Any other business
The Chairperson briefed the Committee that correspondence has been forwarded to the Committee by Mr Jim Shannon MP from a whistleblower raising concerns with the Planning Services.
Agreed : Members agreed to forward this correspondence to the Audit Office for investigation.
The Chairperson proposed to the Committee that the business originally scheduled for 1 July 2010, namely consideration of the Draft Committee Report on ‘Campsie Office Accommodation and Synergy e-Business Incubator’ and the MORs on Gateway review and Personal Injuries Claims be postponed until on 9 September 2010 with the report to launch on 30 September 2010.
Agreed : Members agreed to update the forward work plan accordingly.
The Chairperson briefed the Committee that an advance copy of the Committee for Finance and Personnel’s report on ‘The Preliminary Enquiry into Public Sector Efficiencies’ was available for members to be viewed in the PAC secretariat office if required.
11. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 24 June 2010 at 2:00 pm in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 4:28 pm.
Mr Paul Maskey
Chairperson, Public Accounts Committee
24 June 2010.