1. Apologies
2. Minutes from Meetings of 15.11.00
3. Matters arising from the minutes of previous meeting
4. Draft Report on The Rural Development Programme
5. Reply to Committee of Finance and Personnel on the draft Government Resources and Accounts Bill

Present:
Mr B Bell (Chairman)
Mr R Beggs
Mr M Carrick
Mr S Close
Mr J Dallat
Mr D Hilditch
Mr D McClelland
Ms S Ramsey

In Attendance:
Mr M Rickard (Committee Clerk)
Mr J Campbell (Assistant Committee Clerk)
Miss L Tracey

Apologies
Mr Danny O'Connor
Ms J Morrice

Prior to commencement of business, the Chairman welcomed Mr. Dowdall, the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG), and his staff. He then proceeded to outline the objectives of the meeting as :

1. To agree the Committee Report on "The Rural Development Programme"; and
2. To agree a response to the Committee of Finance and Personnel on the draft Government Resources and Accounts Bill.

Following this introduction, the Chairperson turned to the order of business.

Apologies were received from Mr D O'Connor and Ms J Morrice due to prior engagements.

The minutes were an accurate record of the previous meetings.

4. Draft Report on The Rural Development Programme - Following the issue of the draft report to all members, the Committee discussed its content

Mr John Dowdall, Comptroller and Auditor General, was further examined.

The Committee deliberated.

Draft Report (The Rural Development Programme), proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read.

Ordered, That the draft Report be read a second time, paragraph by paragraph

Para 1 to 3 read and agreed to.
Para 4.1 to 4.25 postponed
Para 5 to 13 read and agreed to
Para 14 read and agreed subject to amendment
Para 15 to 23 read and agreed to
Para 24 read and agreed subject to amendment
Para 25 to 30 read and agreed to
Para 31 read and agreed subject to amendment.
Para 32 to 43 read and agreed to
Para 44 read and agreed to subject to amendment
Para 45 to 46 read and agreed to
Para 47 read and agreed to
Paras 4.1 to 4.25 read and agreed subject to changes to be made to reflect amendments agreed in paras 5-47.

The Chairman informed the members present that he had received correspondence from Mr Mark Durkan, the Minister of Finance and Personnel and Mr Francie Molloy, Chairman of the Committee of Finance and Personnel, seeking a formal opinion on the Bill from the Committee. Draft responses were discussed and agreed.

Date of next meeting - A tentative date for an end of year review of the Committee has been set for 14^th December 2000.

The meeting closed at 12:45pm