Delete Standing Order 10 and insert new Standing Order:

(1) The categories of business to be conducted in the Assembly shall consist of the following:

(a) Assembly Business

(b) Executive Committee Business

(c) Committee Business

(d) Questions

(e) Private Members' Business

(f) Private Business

(g) Adjournment Debates

(h) Party Business.

(2) Subject to the authority of the Business Committee to determine the time for commencement of business in plenary session the sittings of the Assembly shall be arranged as follows:

Monday 12.00 midday - 6.00 pm

Tuesday 10.30 am - 6.00 pm

The allocation of time for business within these sittings shall be determined by the Business Committee, except that

(a) on each Monday on which there is a sitting there shall be a period for Questions commencing at 2.30 pm and finishing at 4.00 pm;

(b) at the end of each sitting up to one hour may be set aside for an Adjournment Debate;

(c) any private notice questions shall normally be asked immediately before the Adjournment Debate.

(3) Where business on the Order Paper has not been disposed of by 6.00 pm on Monday, the Speaker may allow business to continue until 7.00 pm or until the outstanding business is completed, whichever is earlier. Consideration of business on the Order Paper not concluded by 7.00 pm shall be postponed until such a time as the Business Committee determines.

(4) If at 7.00 pm a division is in progress, or a question is being put and a division or a vote in the chamber results, adjournment of the Assembly shall be deferred until after the declaration of the result of the division or vote in the chamber.

(5) If Tuesday's business cannot be completed in the allocated time, the sitting may be extended into the evening, into Wednesday, or both.

(6) Additional sittings may be arranged by the Business Committee according to the exigencies of the Assembly.

(7) Where statements made under Standing Order 18 impinge upon the time bands specified in this Standing Order the Speaker shall take action under Standing Order 18(5).

(8) An adjournment of the Assembly shall mean an adjournment until the next sitting day unless the Assembly, on a motion made by a Member of the Executive Committee after notice, has ordered an adjournment to some other definite date.

(9) A Session of the Assembly shall be that period from the commencement of business following the Summer Recess until the end of the subsequent Summer Recess. The Business Committee shall determine the dates for recess."

In Standing Order 18(5) line 7 delete "Standing Order 10(3)" and insert "Standing Order 10(5)".

In Standing Order 54(1) after paragraph (l) insert:

"(m) Those functions relating to the Planning Appeals Commission and the Water Appeals Commission transferred to the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister by The Departments (Transfer of Functions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001."

In Standing Order 54(1) after paragraph (l) insert:

"(m) Those functions relating to the Planning Appeals Commission and the Water Appeals Commission transferred to the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister by The Departments (Transfer of Functions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001."

Insert new Standing Order:

(1) A substantially verbatim report of the proceedings at all sittings of the Assembly and Committee meetings that form part of the legislative process or at which evidence that will contribute to a report by a Committee is being taken shall be prepared and published. The report shall be known as the Official Report (Hansard) and shall be a record of the proceedings in the language spoken.

(2) A revised edition of the Official Report (Hansard) for all Assembly sittings and Committee meetings which form part of the legislative process shall be prepared in bound volume form at such times as the Speaker shall determine. Such bound volumes shall also contain written questions and answers for the period covered.

(3) Editorial control of the Official Report (Hansard) shall rest ultimately with the Speaker but shall be exercised on his behalf by the Editor of Debates."

"The standing orders shall include provision for reporting the proceedings of the Assembly and for publishing the reports."

"Editorial control of the Official Report (Hansard) shall rest ultimately with the Speaker but shall be exercised on his behalf by the Editor of Debates."

Insert new Standing Order:

(1) A substantially verbatim report of the proceedings at all sittings of the Assembly and Committee meetings that form part of the legislative process or at which evidence that will contribute to a report by a Committee is being taken shall be prepared and published. The report shall be known as the Official Report (Hansard) and shall be a record of the proceedings in the language spoken.

(2) A revised edition of the Official Report (Hansard) for all Assembly sittings and Committee meetings which form part of the legislative process shall be prepared in bound volume form at such times as the Speaker shall determine. Such bound volumes shall also contain written questions and answers for the period covered.

(3) Editorial control of the Official Report (Hansard) shall rest ultimately with the Speaker but shall be exercised on his behalf by the Editor of Debates."

Order. Members will leave the Chamber quietly.

I beg to move

That this Assembly approves the Report of the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure on its Inquiry into Cultural Tourism and the Arts and calls on the Executive to ensure that the Committee's recommendations are evaluated and implemented at the earliest opportunity.

The Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure launched this important and substantive inquiry on 25 January 2001. Its terms of reference were: to determine the status of the existing relationship between the cultural and tourist sectors; to identify areas of the arts with the potential to be incorporated into a cultural tourist product that could be actively promoted by the tourist industry; to identify the support required by cultural activities, including languages, to enable that heritage to be maintained and enhanced; and to report to the Assembly, making recommendations to the Department and/or others on action to strengthen the link between culture and tourism. The Committee also agreed that the inquiry should take particular account of the diversity and unique nature of the cultural tourism product that Northern Ireland can offer its visitors.

I am not exaggerating when I say that the Committee was astounded to receive 82 written submissions from a wide variety of groups and individuals with an interest in every conceivable aspect of culture, heritage and the arts.

These ranged from the North of Ireland Bands' Association to the Ulster Historical Foundation; from the Hilden Brewery Company to the Lyric Theatre; from the University of Ulster to the Somme Association; and from the National Trust to Gael-Linn. We held 39 oral evidence sessions with key organisations representing the main sectoral interests. In addition, the Committee had the opportunity to draw on the experience gained during fact-finding visits to Boston, Paris and Barcelona, which were taken in association with the inquiry. We were fortunate to be able to engage with key public and private sector organisations in those cities.

At the outset, the Committee accepted that Northern Ireland's negative image, combined with the failure to promote and market the region enthusiastically, resulted in lost years of tourist growth compared to other parts of the United Kingdom and Ireland. We certainly cannot promise good weather and warm seas in Northern Ireland, but today's traveller is increasingly seeking more than sun-and-sand destinations. People are living longer, remain more affluent in their retirement, and have a growing interest in visiting places where they can learn about different cultures.

Most people come to Northern Ireland to visit friends and relatives, and although this important market has sustained the industry in hard times, we now have a tremendous opportunity to develop new markets. The growth of a top-quality cultural tourism sector, which will have the potential to attract the general tourist and the high added-value niche market, forms the core of that opportunity. Noting that tourism's contribution to Northern Ireland's gross domestic product (GDP) is less than a third of that in the Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales is a stark illustration of how far we have to go to catch up. In fact, it is 1·8 % compared to 6% in the other regions. Also, we cannot rely, at least in the short term, on the North American market as a visitor source. If Northern Ireland's culture and heritage are to remain key attractions, it is essential that targeting customers outside the long-haul market is given priority. The Republic of Ireland, Great Britain and continental Europe must be regarded as critically important.

Nevertheless, the Committee believes the scope for cultural tourism to be immense. Key niche products such as roots tourism and local studies, education and linguistics, literary and other arts-based summer schools, festivals, theatre, music and dance, as well as the many facets of our built and natural heritage, all hold considerable potential for growing a vibrant cultural tourism product. Northern Ireland has a wealth of cultural and heritage attractions that are key elements of the experience that we can offer to the visitor. Over 440 official heritage sites have been identified in recent research by the Academy for Irish Cultural Heritage at the University of Ulster. There are also many unofficial sites.

Culture and arts enrich our lives, build confidence and inspire hope in communities. They must not be seen as elitist pastimes. The Committee also believes that Northern Ireland's approach to the arts and culture as products must embrace the principles of sustainability; long-term viability; limited negative impact; local involvement; and positive social and economic benefits for all communities, groups and individuals involved.

Our inquiry also brought home to us the importance of industrial heritage tourism and its potential, largely untapped in Northern Ireland. That can help to create employment and investment in industrial areas where manufacturing industry has declined. It can also restore pride in communities and improve people's perceptions of their localities. Many local authorities, particularly in industrial towns in the English Midlands, are incorporating industrial heritage tourism into their tourist development programmes.

By comparison, in Northern Ireland, we have largely neglected our industrial heritage and allowed many of its best examples to be destroyed. We now need to commit ourselves to recognising the importance of preserving and reusing it for sound economic reasons, as well as for the education and appreciation of our community and visitors.

Linked to industrial tourism is the story of the Titanic. Several written submissions expressed interest in the development of a maritime museum in the Belfast shipyard. The story of the Titanic has been told across the world, but Northern Ireland has failed to capitalise on the fact that the ship was designed, built and launched in Belfast.

The plans for the Titanic are currently held in the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum at Cultra. The original drafting rooms, Thompson Dock and the keel blocks on which the Titanic rested during its fitting-out still exist. Furthermore, the SS Nomadic, the last remaining White Star Line tender, which was used to ferry passengers to and from the Titanic, is currently located on the River Seine in Paris. The acquisition of that vessel could be a focal point for a Titanic attraction.

It is also evident that we have not developed the arts festival and summer school sector to the same extent as the Republic. While we have a few major festivals that have proven sustainable over the years, there is enormous scope for further developments. We must also consider how to fill the gaps that exist during the summer months with arts- and culture-based activities and attractions for the community and tourists.

We must do more to persuade the promoters of world- class and major international events that Northern Ireland is a good location. However, we must be in a position to back that up with hard cash.

Northern Ireland lags significantly behind England and Scotland as a location for world-class and major international events. It is even further behind the Republic of Ireland. The region's negative image is clearly a major factor for performers, promoters and sponsors.

The Northern Ireland Events Company's budget for this year is just over £1 million. Two years ago, the Government of the Republic allocated an extra £2·5 million a year for three years to bring in extra events. That was in addition to the financial support already provided for four major golf tournaments and a range of other cultural, arts and sports events. For example, approximately £7 million has been allocated to the 2005 Ryder Cup from the public purse, and the return to the Irish Exchequer on this investment alone is expected to be between £50 million and £100 million.

That illustrates clearly the need for that kind of investment. We must persuade promoters that Northern Ireland has good facilities and is a safe, sensible location. We also need to persuade ourselves that we can host major events.

The devolved Administrations in Scotland and Wales have allocated significant budgets to attract big events. With competition becoming more intense, the key to success is to enable the Northern Ireland Events Company to give a financial commitment sufficiently far ahead in the bidding process.

In the year that we have submitted our bid for European Capital of Culture 2008, it is astonishing that Belfast is the only major city in the United Kingdom without a dedicated public art gallery. The Ulster Museum has a unique collection of Irish art and a collection of British contemporary art that was described by 'The Times' as the finest outside London. Irish art is hugely popular, particularly in America, but the museum cannot display its full collection because it does not have enough space. The development of a museum of creative arts could be, and should be, the key priority for the Department, and the Museums and Galleries of Northern Ireland (MAGNI). That would provide a showcase for the prestigious collection held by the Ulster Museum and enable exhibitions of world-class collections to be staged.

It is worth noting that the Monet, Renoir and the Impressionist Landscape exhibit, which was on show in the new Millennium Wing of the National Gallery of Ireland between January and April this year, attracted an average of 2,000 paying visitors each day, a large proportion of whom would have had a considerable economic impact on the city with overnight or weekend stays.

With 60 million people claiming to have Irish ancestry, there is a worldwide market for roots tourism. However, investment in, and the marketing of, genealogy have been largely neglected. We heard compelling evidence about the impact that a move away from the use of townland names would have on communities and potential roots tourism.

Other issues considered included: the promotion of our linguistic diversity as a unique asset to the tourism industry; promoting and showcasing our tradition of quality band music through hosting international competitions; the cultivation of traditional song and music; providing support for local professional opera; developing dance; reviewing the opportunities which exist to support the independent professional theatre sector; the potential to develop and co-ordinate cultural trails and tours; and the importance of film and television in forging positive images.

The Committee's report sets out 56 recommendations, and their implementation will be essential to improving the quality, cohesiveness and competitiveness of our cultural tourism.

Only two weeks ago Committee Colleagues and I attended a conference on cultural tourism in County Cork. The theme of the conference was 'A National Asset Awaiting Sensitive Development'. Delegates heard that tourism is undoubtedly Ireland's greatest area of growth, with ever-increasing numbers of tourists interested in culture and tradition. Those tourists are prepared to go out of their way to remote places to find authentic, living culture, much of which is hidden among the hills and valleys and has lived on for generations without disturbance. That is every bit as true in areas such as the Glens of Antrim, the Sperrins or Rathlin Island as it is in Cork, Kerry or Clare.

Our hidden locations need to be developed alongside the better known cultural centres to ensure a wider spread of attractions and, consequently, more tourist spending throughout rural and urban areas. The challenge will be to ensure that authentic culture survives commercialism.

One of the speakers at the conference expressed the view that the extent to which a country's culture is known elsewhere is a defining characteristic of any people. That is a thought-providing statement. He encapsulated the importance of culture for us all by saying that

"If you were to meet a man coming along the road who couldn't tell you where he was coming from, it would be a fair bet that he wouldn't be able to say where he was going either".

We all have a stake in the enhancement and development of Northern Ireland's cultural tourism product, and we must take an interest in it.

I wish to express a number of acknowledgements on behalf of the Committee. We were encouraged by the level of involvement in the inquiry. We thank all those who sent in written submissions and those whose appearance before the Committee to give oral evidence provided us with much vital food for thought.

I wish to record the Committee's appreciation of the assistance given by Boston College and the British Council in facilitating our invaluable study visits to Boston, Paris and Barcelona. As Chairperson of the Committee, I pay tribute to my Committee Colleagues, who overcame many traumas to get to where we are and worked exceedingly hard to bring the report to publication. I pay an equally glowing tribute to the Committee staff, the Committee Clerk and its specialist adviser.

Cultural tourism is a broad area, and like the Committee's report on inland fisheries, our recommendations involve several Ministers and their Departments. It is a prime example of an area in which joined-up government is essential and can deliver real benefits for the entire community. My Committee Colleagues will further develop the issues emerging from the report, and I look forward to an interesting debate. I commend the report to the Assembly.

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