Proceedings of the Committee on the Preparation for Government

Tuesday, 6 June 2006 and Wednesday, 7 June 2006

Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday, 6 June 2006 and Wednesday, 7 June 2006 in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.

The meeting commenced at 10.36am

Ms Dunwoody, as acting Chair pending selection of a Chairperson, welcomed Mr Easton.

1. Minutes of Last Meeting

The minutes of the meeting of 5 June were agreed subject to the following amendment:-

Delete ‘Mr Ford proposed that he would take the Chair at the meeting today if rotation was agreed in principle’

Insert ‘Mr Ford offered to take the Chair at the meeting today if rotation was agreed in principle. This was proposed by the SDLP.’

2. Matters Arising

Ms Dunwoody confirmed that a letter had been sent on 5 June to the Secretary of State seeking clarification of the term ‘consensus’ in his direction of 26 May 2006.

UUP proposed that the meeting should adjourn to pursue a response to the letter. There was not consensus and the proposal fell.

Sinn Fein proposed that the meeting should continue on the basis of ‘general all party agreement’ pending a response from the Secretary of State. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.

3. Selection of Chairperson

Ms Dunwoody called for nominations for Chairperson.

The DUP proposed that the Clerk Assistant should ask the Speaker to re-consider her decision not to chair the Committee. There was not consensus and the proposal fell.

Ms Gildernew left the meeting at 11.50am and returned at 12 o’clock

The meeting was suspended at 12.05pm.

The meeting reconvened at 12.33pm.

Ms Dunwoody welcomed Ms Ritchie as the SDLP representative in the place of Dr McDonnell MP, who had left the meeting.

The DUP proposed that the Speaker should be asked to appoint a member of the Assembly to chair the Committee. There was not consensus and the proposal fell.

The DUP proposed that the Secretary of State should be asked to appoint a member of the Assembly or an independent person to chair the Committee. There was not consensus and the proposal fell.

Sinn Fein proposed that the Chair should rotate among all parties. There was not consensus and the proposal fell.

Sinn Fein proposed that the Chair should rotate among those parties willing to take the Chair. There was not consensus and the proposal fell.

The meeting adjourned at 1.07pm.

The meeting reconvened at 3.12pm.

Dr McDonnell MP rejoined the meeting. Ms Ritchie attended as a representative of the SDLP in place of Mr Durkan MP who had left the meeting.

Ms Dunwoody informed the Committee that a response had been received from the Secretary of State explaining his views on ‘consensus’. Copies were provided to the Committee for its consideration. It was agreed to note the letter and to continue on the basis of ‘general all party agreement’.

The DUP proposed that the Speaker be asked to chair the Committee. There was not consensus and the proposal fell.

Sinn Fein proposed that the Deputy Speakers should chair the Committee; that the chair should rotate and that the support of the Speaker to the proposal should be sought. There was not consensus and the proposal fell.

The SDLP proposed that the first three meetings should rotate between Alliance, UUP and SDLP and that the Speaker’s Office should be asked to chair the Committee thereafter.

The DUP proposed that the parties should meet with the Speaker individually and come to agreement with the Speaker as to her role in relation to the Committee.

Mr McGimpsey left the meeting at 3.56pm.

Mr McGimpsey rejoined the meeting at 4.04pm.

The meeting was suspended at 4.14pm to reconvene at 3.00pm on Wednesday 7 June 2006.

The meeting reconvened at 3.05pm on 7 June 2006.

Ms Dunwoody welcomed Ms Ritchie as the SDLP representative for Dr McDonnell MP; Mr Dallat as the SDLP representative for Mr Durkan MP; Mrs Dodds as the DUP representative for Mr Morrow and Mr McClarty as the UUP representative for Mr Kennedy.

Ms Dunwoody advised that each of the parties had met the Speaker during the course of the day and that following these meetings the Speaker wished to respond in writing to the Committee. The Committee agreed to suspend the meeting until the letter from the Speaker had been received.

The meeting was suspended at 3.06pm.

The meeting reconvened at 4.45pm.

After consideration of the letter from the Speaker, Sinn Fein proposed that the Committee refer to the Secretary of State that the Committee was unable to select a Chair. There was consensus and the proposal was agreed.

The meeting adjourned at 5.00pm.

Nuala Dunwoody
Clerk Assistant 
12 June 2006