PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE PREPARATION FOR GOVERNMENT

Minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday, 28 June 2006 in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.

In the Chair: Francie Molloy (until 1.43pm)
Jim Wells (from 1.43pm)

Present: John Dallat
Diane Dodds
Dr Sean Farren
David Ford
Michelle Gildernew MP
Danny Kennedy
Alan McFarland
Martin McGuinness MP
David McNarry
John O’Dowd
Ian Paisley
Margaret Ritchie

In Attendance: Nuala Dunwoody (Clerk Assistant)
Debbie Pritchard (Principal Clerk)
Jim Beatty (Assistant Clerk)
Pauline Innes (Clerical Officer)
Peter Gilleece (Senior Researcher)

Observing: Jim Wells (Chairperson) from 1.32pm.
Francie Molloy (Chairperson) from 1.43pm until leaving the meeting at 1.53pm

The meeting commenced at 10.08am.

1. Apologies

Mr Durkan MP (Mr Dallat attended the meeting as SDLP representative in place of Mr Durkan MP)

Ms Long

Dr McCrea MP

Mr McGimpsey (Mr McNarry attended the meeting as UUPAG representative in place of Mr McGimpsey)

Lord Morrow (Mrs Dodds attended the meeting as DUP representative in place of Lord Morrow)

Mr Murphy MP (Mr O’Dowd attended the meeting as Sinn Fein representative in place of Mr Murphy)

Dr McDonnell MP (Ms Ritchie attended the meeting as SDLP representative in place of Dr McDonnell MP)

2. Hansard Reports

It was agreed that the Official Reports of the Committee meetings should be copied to all MLAs once they had been finalised.

3. Presentations on papers from parties

At 10.23am Mr McFarland made a presentation on behalf of the UUPAG and then took questions from the other parties.

Mr O’Dowd joined the meeting at 11.56am.

Mr McGuinness MP left the meeting at 12.12pm.

The meeting was suspended at 12.32pm.

The meeting reconvened at 12.54pm.

The meeting continued with questions to the UUPAG.

Questions to the UUPAG concluded at 3.06pm.

The meeting was suspended at 3.06pm.

The meeting reconvened at 3.18pm.

Mr McCarthy joined the meeting as the Alliance party representative in place of Ms Long.

Mr Hay attended the meeting as DUP representative in place of Mr Paisley.

Mr Maskey attended the meeting as Sinn Fein representative in place of Mr McGuinness MP.

Ms Gildernew MP left the meeting at 3.25pm.

4. Future Work Programme

Dr Farren proposed the Committee should give notice that an early debate should take place in the Assembly to take note of the Government’s view on the work on the preparation for government and to ask the Committee on the Preparation for Government to continue its work and, in particular, to consider what work should be done on addressing economic regeneration.

There was not consensus and the proposal fell.

It was agreed that the Committee should next meet at 2.00pm on Monday, 3 July 2006 and the following items should be on the agenda:-

(a) Future work of the Committee taking into account –

• Outcome of meetings with the Prime Minister and Taoiseach on 29 June
  
• Outcome of party meetings
  
• Consideration by parties of Hansard Reports of presentations

(b) Examination of the issues raised by parties

(c) Items for plenary debates

Mr McNarry left the meeting at 4.45pm.

Mrs Dodds proposed that a report should be sent to the Secretary of State of the serious nature of the blockage that has been caused in the Committee.

There was not consensus and the proposal fell.

5. Minutes of meeting of 26 June 2006

The minutes of the meeting of 26 June 2006 were agreed subject to the following –

In paragraph 2, delete ‘15.05pm’ and insert ‘15.06pm’.

In paragraph 2, delete ’15.23pm’ and insert ’15.24pm’.

6. Response from the Speaker to the Clerk’s letter of 21 June 2006

The Committee noted that the letter had been referred to the Clerk to the Assembly.

The meeting was adjourned at 4.49pm.