Minutes of Proceedings

The meeting opened at 10. 05 am in public session

Apologies

Apologies are detailed above.

1. Minutes of the meetings held on 21 October 2009

Agreed: The minutes were agreed.

2. Briefing by the Royal National Institute for Blind People (RNIB) on issues faced by visually-impaired students

10.12 am Mr Irwin joined the meeting
10.48 am Mr Clarke joined the meeting

Bernie Jenkins, Campaign Officer, and Barrie Macaulay, Senior Manager for Campaigns, Education and Sport, briefed the Committee on the issues and challenges faced by young people with visual disabilities in Further and Higher Education. Andrea Begley, a representative from Eye Matter!, a forum of pro-active young people aged from 15 to 30 with sight problems, provided members with a personal insight into practical difficulties faced by young students . The briefings were followed by a question and answer session.

Agreed: Members agreed to write to the Department for information on the comparative educational attainment of students with visual disabilities.

Agreed: Members agreed to forward the briefing paper from RNIB to the universities and further education colleges for comment.

Agreed: Members agreed to contact OFMDFM for further clarification on the legislation relating to accessibility for visually impaired students.

3. Briefing by representatives from University for Derry (U4D)

The Committee received a briefing from Padraig Canavan, Chair of U4D, and Paul Gosling, Co-ordinator of U4D, advocating substantial expansion of graduate and post-graduate education in Derry as fundamental to the economic advancement of the city and North West region. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.

11.58 am Mr McClarty left the meeting

Agreed: Members agreed to write to the Minister regarding the current cap on student numbers in Northern Ireland.

Agreed: Members agreed to invite the Ilex Urban Regeneration Company to brief the Committee on the U4D proposals.

12.03 pm Mr Ramsey left the meeting

4. Briefing on “Building a better future – End of Year Delivery Report” by Assembly Research

Dr Robert Barry and Yan Liu from Assembly Research provided the Committee with an update on the progress to date of the Department for Employment and Learning in achieving its PSA targets under the Programme for Government. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.

5. Subordinate Legislation

The Committee was content with the proposal to make the Statutory Rule, “The Further Education (Student Support) (Eligibility) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2009.”

6. Matters Arising

• University of Ulster expansion plans

Members noted various media pieces relating to the expansion plans for the University of Ulster.

• Holyland Forum and Action Plan
• Agreed: Members noted various media reports on the draft Holyland Action Plan and received a report from Ms Anna Lo on the stakeholder conference which she attended on behalf of the Committee. The Committee agreed to write to the Department to request an update on the progress of the Forum.

• Springvale Educational Village Project- Public Accounts Committee Report
• Agreed: Members noted the response from the Public Accounts Committee which highlighted its outstanding recommendations, and also the Memorandum of Reply from the Department for Employment and Learning. The Committee agreed to write to the Department, requesting an update on the completion of these outstanding recommendations.

• Royal Mail Dispute

Agreed: Members noted a response from the Minister for Employment and Learning to previous correspondence on this issue.

• CITB mobile Health and Safety Training Unit

Agreed: The Committee thanked the CITB for bringing its mobile training unit to Parliament Buildings prior to the next meeting and looked forward to the opportunity of seeing how the unit operates.

• Higher Education Stakeholder Conference

Agreed: Members noted a report of the Minister’s speech at the above event held recently in the Park Avenue Hotel in Belfast.

7. Chairperson’s Business

Members noted a number of items of correspondence and agreed responses.

8. Departmental Press Notices

Members noted a number of Departmental press notice issued recently.

9. Any Other Business

• NISCC Newsletter

Agreed: Members noted the most recent issue of this newsletter

• Funding for Arts Courses

Agreed: The Committee noted correspondence from the Culture, Arts and Leisure Committee on the above issue.

• NIO Consultation on Section 55 (Data Protection Act) Offences

Agreed: Members noted the consultation document.

• Apprenticeships Update

Agreed: Members considered an update from the Department on numbers and status of apprenticeships and agreed to request further details on apprentices who had been made redundant.

• Forward Work Programme – for information

Members noted the Committee’s Forward Work Programme for the period of October 2009 to January 2010.

10. Date, time and place of next meeting

The next meeting of the Committee will be held on Wednesday, 11 November 2009 in Room 30, Parliament Building.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.43 pm.

Ms Sue Ramsey
Chairperson, Committee for Employment & Learning
18 November 2009