Minutes of Proceedings
Session: 2011/2012
Date: 02 May 2012
Venue: Room 29
The meeting opened in public session at 10:10 am.
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Chair’s Business
- The Chairperson updated Members on matters discussed at the informal meeting with Employers for Childcare that took place on 1 May 2012 in Parliament Buildings.
3. Minutes of the meeting held on 25 April 2012
Agreed: The minutes of the meeting were agreed.
4. Matters arising
- The Committee noted a list of matters arising from the previous meeting.
- The Committee considered further information received in relation to staffing issues at North West Regional College. The Chairperson also updated the Committee on his meeting with the Minister on 30 April 2012 to discuss this issue.
- The Committee considered a draft response to the Committee for Justice on the Draft Community Safety Strategy.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the response to the Committee for Justice. - The Committee considered a draft summary of responses and evidence to its consultation on the dissolution and transfer of functions of the Department, and noted that the response of the DEL staff still has to be included.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to return to its consideration of the summary at a later stage of the meeting.
5. Briefing from the Gerry Rogan Initiative Trust on the GRIT Experience 2 Programme
Representatives joined the meeting at 10:27 am.
The Committee was briefed by Mrs Therese Rogan, Chairman, Mr Tom Scott, Trustee, and Mr Stephen Barr, Course Director on behalf of Opportunity Youth, on the GRIT Experience 2 programme. Sarah Bell, James McCusker and Amy McGarrity, graduates of the GRIT Experience 2 Programme, also gave the Committee an insight into their experiences.
10:28 am Mr Barry McElduff joined the meeting.
10:44 am Mr Jim Allister joined the meeting.
The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Minister regarding funding issues for the organisation.
11:38 am Ms Michelle Gildernew joined the meeting.
11:40 am Mr Barry McElduff left the meeting.
11:45 am Mr Chris Lyttle joined the meeting.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the National Lottery commending an application for funding by the Gerry Rogan Initiative Trust.
Representatives left the meeting at 12:00 pm.
12:00 pm Mr Sammy Douglas left the meeting.
12:00 pm Mr David McIlveen left the meeting.
12:00 pm Mr Alastair Ross left the meeting.
6. Departmental briefing on the Higher Education Strategy for Northern Ireland
Officials joined the meeting at 12:01pm.
12.02 pm Ms Michelle Gildernew left the meeting.
The Committee was briefed by Mrs Nuala Kerr, Director of Higher Education, and Mrs Patricia McVeigh, Head of Higher Education Policy and Strategic Development, on the Higher Education Strategy for Northern Ireland.
12:11 pm Mr Barry McElduff rejoined the meeting
The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to consider which issues from the Strategy that it wished to scrutinise in depth at a later date.
12:57 pm Pat Ramsey left the meeting.
Officials left the meeting at 12:58 pm.
7. Matters Arising
The Committee agreed to return to agenda item 4.
The Committee considered a draft summary of responses and evidence to its consultation on the dissolution and transfer of functions of the Department.
Agreed: The Committee agreed the summary and agreed to consider the new section regarding the responses from the Departmental staff at its next meeting.
8. Correspondence
The Committee considered the following items of correspondence:
- Correspondence from the Northern Ireland Schools and Colleges Careers Association thanking the Committee for the invitation to the recent stakeholder discussion forum, and offering to brief the Committee on Careers Education, Information and Guidance (CEAG) in schools and colleges
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note this correspondence and to schedule a briefing. - Correspondence from the Chairpersons’ Liaison Group noting the key issues and decisions made at its meeting on 17 April 2012
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note this correspondence. - A press release from the University of Ulster entitled Business and University Partnerships Receive Funding Boost
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note this correspondence.
The Committee also noted a number of invitations received.
9. Draft Forward Work Programme
The Committee considered the draft Forward Work Programme up to 27 June 2012.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that it was content to schedule these briefings.
10. Any Other Business
None
11. Date, time and place of next meeting
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the next meeting should be held on Wednesday, 9 May 2012, at 10.45 am in The Lecture Theatre at South West College, Omagh Campus.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 13:05 pm.
