TUESDAY 26 FEBRUARY 2002 AT 2.00 PM IN ROOM 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:

Mr F Cobain (Chairman)   Ms M Gildernew (Deputy Chairperson)   Mr B Hutchinson   Mr M Robinson   Mr G Kelly   Mr E ONeill   Mr T Hamilton

Apologies:

Mr J Tierney   Sir J Gorman   Mr S Wilson

In Attendance:

Mr S Graham   Mr L McLernon   Mrs Janette Anderson Miss F Douglas

Mr Cobain took the chair at 2.14 p.m.

Public Session

1. Housing Inquiry (Homelessness) Oral Evidence By The Northern Ireland Federation of Housing.

The Chairman welcomed the members of the Northern Ireland Federation of Housing to the meeting at 2.15 p.m.

In attendance:

Alan Rea - Director of Housing, BIH Association

Christopher Williamson - Director of NI Federation of Housing Associations

Ms Maura McNally - Director Dungannon ∓ District Housing Association
The members of the Northern Ireland Federation of Housing made a presentation to the Committee and a question and answer session followed.   The discussions are recorded separately in verbatim minutes of evidence.

The Chairman thanked the members of the Northern Ireland Federation of Housing and they left at 3.09 p.m.

Private Session

2. A.O.B.

Effective Approach to Homelessness

The Committee discussed the approach to dealing with Homelessness and agreed there were clear relationships with Health and Education. The Committee agreed that the Chairman should write to the Chairmen of the Education and Health, Social Services and Public Safety Committees and to the respective Ministers to draw attention to this point.
 

The Committee expressed concerned about the absence of written and oral evidence about rural homelessness and that the Clerk was asked to explore how the issue might best be addressed.

3. Date of Next Meeting

The next Committee meeting will be at 2.00 p.m. on Thursday 28 February in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.

MR F COBAIN  

COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN  

FEBRUARY 2002