Minutes of Proceedings

The meeting opened, in public, at 10:28am.

1. Chairperson's business

1.1. The Committee agreed that the Chairperson would represent the Committee at the Ulster Waterways Group's 4^th annual conference in Newry on 20 September 2001.

1.2. Members were reminded of the seminar on Financial Process for Assembly Committee members and staff in the Long Gallery on Wednesday 12 September 2001.

1.3. Members considered further correspondence from the Minister regarding a letter from Mr AD Frazer of Hillmount Properties Ltd and agreed a response to the Minister

1.4. Members considered correspondence from the Department regarding the recent escape of farmed salmon at Glenarm. Members agreed a response to the Minister raising the time delay in putting measures in place to reduce the possibility of escapees entering the river and requesting to be informed of the outcome of the checks in October/November for farmed salmon survivors in the Glenarm and adjacent rivers.

2. Minutes of the meeting of 5 July 2001

2.1. Minutes of the meeting of 5 July 2001 were agreed.

3. Matters arising

3.1 Paragraph 5 - The Committee agreed to ask the Fisheries Conservancy Board to meet with it to confirm whether the Board has any objection in principle to water samples being taken by voluntary bailiffs. It also agreed to ask the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development's Loughs Agency to clarify what basis they have for their statement on lack of objectivity.

4. SR 2001 No 291 - Fisheries (Tagging and Logbook) Byelaws (NI) 2001

4.1 The Culture, Arts and Leisure Committee has considered the Fisheries (Tagging and Logbook) Byelaws (Northern Ireland) 2001 (SR 2001 No 291) and has no objection to the Rule.

5. MAGNI New TSN Action Plan

5.1. The Committee agreed a response to MAGNI regarding the draft Action Plan and also agreed that the Committee Office would follow-up with the Department the issue of availability of the MAGNI Board's minutes.

Mr Shannon joined the meeting at 10:44am.

6. Cultural tourism and the Arts Inquiry

6.1. The Committee agreed to accept a written submission from the North Belfast Tourism Project. It also agreed that no further submissions would be accepted.

6.2. The Committee agreed to hold evidence sessions at Magee College on Thursday 11 October 2001.

6.3. The Committee agreed to await the availability of the Chairman of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board before taking evidence from the Board. The Committee also agreedthat the Clerk would write to the Board seeking the earliest date possible for the Chairman's attendance.

6.4. Members received the draft report of the study visit to Paris and Barcelona and were asked to forward comments to the Clerk by 20 September 2001.

7. IMS Motorsports report

7.1. The Committee agreed to seek an urgent meeting with the Sports Council Northern Ireland to discuss the proposals contained in the IMS Motorsports Report.

8. Arts Council 5-Year Arts Plan

8.1. The Committee agreed that it would attend a private briefing on the Arts Council's 5-year arts plan at the Council's headquarters on the Malone Road on 4 October 2001.

9. Any other business

9.1. Members received copies of a draft response to the Sports Council Lottery Fund relating to consultation documents - SCLF strategy; Play Sport & Starting Well programmes; Talented Athelete-living costs awards; and SCLF monitoring policy and were asked to pass any comments to the Clerk.

Dr Adamson joined the meeting at 11:15am.

10. Date of next meeting

10.1. The next meeting of the Committee will take place at 10:15am on Thursday 13 September 2001 in Room 152.

The meeting closed at 11:17am.

M Nelis
Deputy Chairperson