Minutes of Proceedings

In attendance for a presentation and question and answer session at 11:00am: NI KARATE-DO WADO-KAI (NIKW):- Mr Oliver Brunton, Chairman, Ms Violet Brown, Secretary, Ms Norma Slater, Treasurer and Mr Louis Edmondson, Committee Member.

The meeting opened, in public at, 10.25am.

1. Chairperson's business

1.1 The Chairperson referred to the 'Unlocking Creativity' document on which the Committee has been asked to comment. Members were requested to send their individual comments to the Committee office by Tuesday 20 February 2001. A draft response will be prepared for consideration by the Committee at the meeting on 22 February.

1.2 Agreed - that Mr Wilson would represent the Committee at the North Atlantic Salmon Fund Dinner on 2 March 2001.

1.3 The Chairperson reminded members of the need to return outstanding booking forms for the World Canal Conference.

1.4 Agreed - that a letter of congratulations would issue to Mr John Martin, the newly appointed Chief Executive of Waterways Ireland.

1.5 The Chairperson alerted members to the need to have two passport photographs to accompany USIA forms. The Committee office has confirmed that the 'web' photographs cannot be used.

1.6 The Chairperson updated members on the current level of interest in the Cultural Tourism and the Arts Inquiry.

1.7 The Chairperson advised members that the Joint Committee on Tourism, Sport and Recreation have suggested visiting Belfast on 1 March 2001.

Agreed - that the Committee office would book a suitable room, make the necessary arrangements for a press conference and a lunch in the Members' Dining Room and confirm the date and time-span of the visit. In addition the Committee office would enquire into the possibility of a visit to the Odyssey/W5 (if the time-span of the visit permits) and attendance at the Norway/Northern Ireland Football match on 28 February (if the Joint Committee would like to).

1.8 Agreed - that a letter of congratulations would issue to Mr Colin Anderson, the newly appointed Chairman of the Northern Ireland Film Commission.

Mr Shannon joined the meeting at 10:30am.
Mr Wilson joined the meeting at 10:30am.

2. Minutes of the meetings of 7 and 8 February 2001

2.1 The minutes of the meetings of 7^th and 8^th February were agreed.

Dr Adamson joined the meeting at 10:33am.

3. Matters arising

3.1 Mr Hilditch reported on the Future Search Conference on a Soccer Strategy for Northern Ireland which took place at the Slieve Donard Hotel from the 10^th to 12^th February 2001. A report of the conference was circulated to members.

3.2 A proposed letter to the Minister on the cost of Fishing Licences was circulated to members.

Agreed - that the Committee office would establish the current position of the cost of licences for the disabled and include the unemployed in the letter before issue.

3.3 Members were provided with financial information on Arts Council funding for Community Arts and other bodies.

3.4 Agreed - that the Manager of the Belfast Giants would be invited before the Committee to discuss their marketing strategy.

4. 2000/01 Spring Supplementary Estimates and 2001/02 Vote on Account: Advance Copy

4.1 Agreed - that members would consider this information and raise any issues at a later meeting.

4.2 Agreed - that the Committee office would write to the Department seeking a breakdown of the first tranche of funding for sports grounds and information regarding the availability of the second allocation.

4.3 Agreed - that the Committee office would seek information from the Department in respect of funding to "support the publication of a history of the Irish Parliament".

5. Soccer Strategy Initiative - Reply from the Minister

5.1 Agreed - that members would write to the Minister individually if they wanted to suggest further meetings of the Soccer Advisory Panel in areas not yet represented.

6. NI Museums Council's New TSN Action Plan

6.1 Agreed - that members should send comments to the Committee office by 20 February 2001 and a draft response would be prepared for consideration at the meeting on 22 February.

7. Sports Council for NI - Lottery Funding for Major International Events

7.1 Agreed - that the proposed response would issue to the Sports Council.

8. Presentation by representatives of the NI Karate-Do Wado-Kai at 11:00am

8.1 The delegation outlined the history of their organisation and informed the Committee of their current funding problems, their desire to gain an accreditation providing them with recognition of their achievements and to have Karate included in the school curriculum .

8.2 The delegation answered a series of questions put by members.

8.3 Agreed - that the Committee would host an event for the organisation in Parliament Buildings.

8.4 Agreed - that the Chairperson would write to the Chairperson of the Education Committee.

The public session ended at 12:10pm.
The private session commenced at 12:10pm.

9. Format for question and answer sessions

Agreed - that where there were no suggested questions provided and allocated to members in advance of presentations, members would ask one question at a time in rotation around the table.

10. Fisheries report

10.1 The Committee discussed the report into Inland Fisheries in Northern Ireland.

Mr Hilditch left the meeting at 12:55pm.
Mr Shannon left the meeting at 12:55pm.

11. Any other business

11.1 Agreed - that the letter to the Head of the Civil Service regarding the references to the Committee in the leaked memo would seek his comments.

11.2 Agreed - that the Committee would write to Bann Systems inviting them to comment on the recent position taken by the UCFF in response to the increase in charges for Coarse Angling permits.

11.3 Agreed - that the Committee would write to the Department to ascertain the position on the commencement of the review of the Fisheries Conservancy Board and the mechanics thereof.

11.4 Agreed - that the Committee would write to the Department regarding the recommendations by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development's Scientists to the Fisheries Conservancy Board to implement a two-year moratorium on commercial netting of salmon and a 'catch and release' policy.

11.5 Agreed - that the Committee would invite Marble Arch Hatchery to give evidence regarding the devastation caused to the hatchery by the two recent pollution incidents.

11.6 Agreed - that the Committee would visit Scotland and England to see at first hand upgraded and new build football stadiums. Specifically mentioned were Kilmarnock, Hibs, Hampton Park and a purpose built stadium at Middlesborough.

11.7 Agreed - that the Committee office would ascertain from the Department when the Review of Museums Report is due to issue and how the Committee will be asked to respond.

11.8 Agreed - that the Committee would consider how best to respond to the hospitality shown to them during their visit to Galway.

The meeting closed at 1:12pm..

E ONeill
Chairperson