MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS Wednesday 18 October 2000 at 10.10am in Room 144 Parliament Buildings

Present: Mr P Doherty (Chairperson)
Mr S Neeson (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr A Attwood
Mr D S Dalton
Mr D McClarty
Dr A McDonnell
Ms J Morrice
Dr D O'Hagan
Mr J Wells

In attendance: Mrs C White, Mr J Nesbitt, 
Mr D Donaldson, Miss J Presho

In attendance for public evidence session at 10.30am: Training and Employment Agency - Mr B McGinnis, Mr I Walters, Mr A Arbuthnot, and Dr M Anyadike-Danes

In attendance for public evidence session at 11.45am: IDB - Mr B Robinson, Mr E Miller, Mr E Wilson and Mr B Pauley (DETI)

In attendance for public evidence session at 1.00pm: DETI - Mr B Robinson and Mr B Pauley

The meeting opened, in private, at 10.10am

1. Chairperson's business

The Chairperson gave a brief report on his and the Deputy Chair's recent meeting with the Minister - he advised that it covered restructuring; the budget proposals; and possible future areas of work. The Chairperson also advised that it was suggested that both he and the Deputy Chair should meet Mary O'Rourke TD in relation to the proposed Belfast - Dublin gas pipeline.

Agreed - that the Chairperson and the Deputy Chairperson should meet Mary O'Rourke.

The Chairperson reported that he had received a letter from Stormont Strategy, on behalf of Premier Transmission Limited, requesting to meet the Committee.

Agreed - that Premier Transmission Limited should be invited to meet the Committee on 8 November.

Also agreed - to meet the Minister on 7 November at 2.30pm to discuss the Programme for Government; and to visit Nortel Networks on 8 November at 1.00pm.

Mr Attwood joined the meeting at 10.15am

2. Apologies

Apologies were received from Mr Clyde and Ms Lewsley.

3. Budget 2001/02

The Committee Clerk advised that officials from the Department had been invited to meet the Committee on Tuesday 24 October to discuss the Department's budget proposals for 2001/02. She pointed out that a report on the budget proposals had to be submitted to the Finance and Personnel Committee by 10 November.

Agreed - that the meeting to discuss the budget proposals should be held in public and that all future Committee meetings should be in public unless discussing an item of a confidential nature.

The Committee moved into public session at 10.30am

4. Public evidence session at 10.30am - Training and Employment Agency

The witnesses from the Training and Employment Agency gave evidence, in public, to the Committee on its inquiry into Strategy 2010. They gave their views on Strategy 2010 and answered a number of questions put by the Committee.

Dr McDonnell joined the meeting at 10.35am

Mr Dalton joined the meeting at 11.00am

5. Public evidence session at 11.45am - IDB

The witnesses from the IDB gave evidence, in public, to the Committee on its inquiry into Strategy 2010. They gave their views on Strategy 2010 and answered a number of questions put by the Committee.

Mr Wells joined the meeting at 11.50am

Mr McClarty left the meeting at 12.10pm

Mr Attwood left the meeting at 1.00pm

6. Public evidence session at 1.00pm - DETI

The witnesses from the Department gave evidence, in public, to the Committee on its inquiry into Strategy 2010. They gave their views on Strategy 2010 and answered a number of questions put by the Committee.

Mr McClarty rejoined the meeting at 1.25pm

Mr Neeson left the meeting at 1.45pm

Ms Morrice left the meeting at 1.50pm

7. Date of next meeting

The next meeting of the Committee will be held on Tuesday 24 October at 2.00pm in Room 135.

The meeting closed at 2.00pm

Mr P Doherty
(Chairperson)