Proceedings of the Committee on the Preparation for Government

25 September 2006

Minutes of the meeting held on Monday, 25 September 2006 in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.

In the Chair: Francie Molloy

Present: Dr Sean Farren 
David Ford 
Patricia Lewsley 
Danny Kennedy 
Kieran McCarthy 
Dr William McCrea MP 
Alan McFarland 
Michael McGimpsey 
Conor Murphy MP 
John O’Dowd 
Ian Paisley Jnr 
Peter Robinson MP

In Attendance: Nuala Dunwoody (Clerk Assistant) 
John Torney (Principal Clerk) 
Christine Darrah (Assembly Clerk) 
Jim Beatty (Assistant Clerk) 
Gillian Lyness (Assistant Clerk) 
Pauline Hunter (Clerical Officer)

Observing: Richard Bullick (DUP researcher) 
Mark Neal (UUP researcher)

The meeting commenced at 2.02pm.

1. Michael Ferguson MLA

The Chairperson informed the Committee of the sudden death of Michael Ferguson MLA and proposed that the Committee should send its condolences to Mr Ferguson’s family. This was agreed.

2. Apologies

Mark Durkan MP (Ms Lewsley attended the meeting as SDLP representative in place of Mr Durkan MP)

Michelle Gildernew MP (Mr O’Dowd attended the meeting as SF representative in place of Ms Gildernew MP)

Naomi Long (Mr McCarthy attended the meeting as the Alliance representative in place of Ms Long)

Dr Alasdair McDonnell MP

David McNarry (Mr McGimpsey attended the meeting as UUP representative in place of Mr McNarry)

Martin McGuinness MP

Lord Morrow (Mr Robinson MP attended the meeting as DUP representative in place of Lord Morrow)

3. Previous Minutes

(a) The minutes of the meeting of the afternoon of 18 September 2006 were agreed, subject to the following change:-

Insert “David Ford” within Item 1, Apologies

(b) The minutes of the meeting of 15 September 2006 were agreed, subject to the following change:-

Amend “Stephen Barr (UUPAG researcher)” to “Stephen Barr (UUP researcher)”

(c) The minutes of the meeting of the morning of 18 September 2006 were agreed.

Mr Paisley joined the meeting at 2.10pm.

4. Consideration of the PfG draft report on institutional issues

It was agreed that the Committee’s deliberations on the draft report would not be included in Hansard.

Dr McCrea joined the meeting at 2.20pm.

After discussion, the contents of the report, with some amendments, were agreed.

The Chairperson proposed that the Committee should order printing of the report. There was not consensus and the proposal fell.

5. AOB

The Committee noted the direction of 19 September 2006 from the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to print and publish the report on Rights, Safeguards, Equality Issues and Victims.

The Committee was reminded of the half-day symposium on Thursday, 5 October 2006, organised by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Chief Commissioner, on the issue of a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland

6. Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Friday 6 October 2006 at 10.00am in Room 144, Parliament Buildings to discuss an interim report from the Economic Challenges sub-group.

The meeting adjourned at 2.45pm.