PROCEEDINGS OF THE SUB-GROUP ON SCHOOLS ADMISSION POLICY
Minutes of the Meeting held on Friday, 15 December 2006
in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings.
In the Chair: Sue Ramsey
Willie Clarke took the Chair at 1.35 p.m.
Present: Dominic Bradley
Jeffrey Donaldson MP
Barry McElduff
David McNarry
Caitríona Ruane
Sammy Wilson MP
In attendance: Debbie Pritchard (Principal Clerk)
Stella McArdle (Clerk)
Valerie Artt (Assistant Clerk)
Jim Nulty (Clerical Officer)
Tony Marken (Research and Library Services)
Eleanor Murphy (Research and Library Services)
Observing Jim Falconer (SF Researcher)
Eilis Haughey (SDLP Researcher)
Grainne McEvoy (SDLP Researcher)
Philip Weir (DUP Researcher)
The meeting commenced at 9.43 a.m. in closed session.
1. Minutes of the Meeting held on 8 December 2006
The minutes of the meeting on 8 December 2006 were agreed subject to the following amendments:
At Item 4 - Mr Dominic Bradley’s interests should read:
Mr Bradley advised that he is on the staff of St Paul’s High School, Bessbrook, a member of the Board of Governors of Bunscoil an Iúir, Newry, a member of NASUWT and receives payment as the editor of the education pages of the Irish language newspaper Lá.
2. Declaration of Interests
The following interest was declared:
Mr Sammy Wilson advised that he is employed by the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment.
4. Sub-Group Procedures
The paper on revised sub-group procedures provided by the Committee for the Programme for Government was noted.
5. Letter from the Secretary of State about the provision of information by officials
Members expressed concern at the information supplied in paragraph four of the correspondence from the Secretary of State. Following a short discussion, Mr McNarry proposed that the sub-group should write to the Committee on the Programme for Government to draw attention to these concerns and ask that the Committee should relay these to the Secretary of State. The proposal was agreed by concensus.
Mr Jeffrey Donaldson joined the meeting at 9.50 a.m.
6. Briefing Papers
The paper on the post-primary education system in the Republic of Ireland was noted and it was agreed that additional information on the report card template and transitional year would be sought.
The issues paper was tabled and members were advised by the Chairperson that any additional issues for discussion, which members wished to add, should be forwarded to the Clerk by noon on Tuesday 19 December 2006.
The meeting moved to public session
7. Evidence Sessions
The sub-group took evidence from the following witnesses:
Session One
The Association of Teachers and Lecturers represented by Mr Mark Langhammer
The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation represented by Mr Brendon Harron
The National Association of Schoolmasters and Women Teachers represented by Mr Seamus Searson
The Ulster Teachers’ Union represented by Ms Avril Hall-Callaghan
Session Two
The Association for Quality Education, which comprises the Grammar Principals’ Association, the Concerned Parents for Education and the Confederation of Grammar Schools’ Former Pupils’ Associations represented by Sir Kenneth Bloomfield, Mr Billy Young and Mr Marcas Patterson
The Governing Bodies Association represented by Mr Finbarr McCallion
The meeting was suspended at 11.45 a.m.
The meeting reconvened at 11.55 a.m.
Ms Caitríona Ruane joined the meeting at 11.55 a.m.
Session Three
The Association of Head Teachers in Secondary Schools represented by Mr Uel McCrea
The Council for Catholic Maintained Schools represented by Mr Jim Clarke
A parental representative, Mr George Buckley
The meeting was suspended at 12.55 p.m.
Ms Caitríona Ruane left the meeting at 12.55 p.m.
The meeting reconvened at 1.32 p.m. with Mr Willie Clarke in the Chair
Session Four
The Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment represented by Mr Gavin Boyd, Mr Robert Shilliday, Dr Charlie Sproule and Mr Richard Hanna
The meeting was suspended at 2.26p.m.
The meeting reconvened at 2.34 p.m.
Ms Caitríona Ruane rejoined the meeting at 2.34 p.m.
Session Five
The Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education represented by Mr Michael Wardlow
Session Six
The Department of Education represented by Mrs Dorothy Angus, Ms Irene Murphy and Mr John Leonard
The meeting was suspended at 3.14 p.m.
The meeting resumed at 3.30 p.m.
Session Seven
The Transferors’ Representative Council represented by Reverend Dr Lee Glenny, Reverend Robert Herron and Reverend Ian Ellis
8. Any Other Business
Members agreed a press release to be issued following the meeting.
9. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held at 9.30 a.m. on Friday 22 December 2006 in Room 144 Parliament Buildings. A further meeting to discuss the sub-group’s report to the Committee on the Programme for Government will be held at 9.30 a.m. on Friday 5 January 2007 in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting ended at 3.59 p.m.
Sue Ramsey
Chairperson
Willie Clarke
Chairperson
22 December 2006