TUESDAY 1 OCTOBER 2002 AT 1.30 PM IN ROOM 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present: Mr F Cobain (Chairman)   Mr G Kelly (Deputy Chairperson)   Sir J Gorman   Mr B Hutchinson   Ms M Nelis   Mr D O'Connor   Mr S Wilson

Apologies: Mr E ONeill   Mr M Robinson   Mr J Tierney

In Attendance: Mr S Graham   Mr L McLernon   Miss K Kelly   Ms J Neill   Ms A Montgomery   Mrs F Boyle

Mr Cobain took the Chair at 1.37 pm.

Private Session

1. Housing Bill.

The Chairman referred Members to correspondence from the Department relating to queries raised during the initial scrutiny of the Bill. The letters deal with clauses on Anti-Social Behaviour and Grants.

The Chairman welcomed Ms Alison Montgomery Senior Researcher and Mrs F Boyle External Researcher to the meeting at 1.39 pm.

Ms Montgomery made a brief presentation concerning the background to the Research Papers.

Mrs Boyle presented an overview of the Research Papers addressing the following areas.

Anti Social Behaviour   Grants for the Renewal of Private Sector Housing   Provision of Caravan Sites for Irish Traveller Community   Large Scale Voluntary Transfers   Houses in Multiple Occupation

In the course of discussions which followed, the Committee identified a number of issues and concerns which Members undertook to raise with the Department, beginning at the meeting scheduled for Thursday 3 October.

Mr D O'Connor left the meeting at 2.38 pm   Mr G Kelly left the meeting at 3.05 pm   Mr D O'Connor joined the meeting at 3.22 pm

Members thanked the Research team and the Committee Office staff for the comprehensive nature and helpful presentation of all the papers which have been prepared in relation to the Housing Bill.

The Committee agree to defer its consideration of the handling arrangements for further scrutiny of the Bill until Thursday afternoon and decided that such consideration should be conducted in closed session.

The meeting closed at 3.25 pm.

2. Date of Next Meeting

The next Committee meeting will be at 2.00 p.m. on Thursday 3 October in Room 144 Parliament Buildings.

Mr F Cobain

COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN  

October 2002