Minutes of Proceedings

The meeting opened in public session at 10.36am.

1. Apologies

There were no apologies.

2. Draft Minutes of Meeting Held on 20 October 2011

The Committee agreed the minutes of 20 October 2011.

3. Matters Arising

Mr Robin Swann made a declaration that he is Co-Chair of the Save the Kells and Connor library campaign.

Mr Oliver McMullan made a declaration that he met with lobby groups representing Carnlough library.

Agreed : The Committee agreed to write to Libraries NI on: the rationale of its decision following Stage 2 of its consultation into library provision; its engagement process with those libraries which are subject to further review or will close; and the timescale for this process.

Agreed : The Committee agreed to write to the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure to request quarterly progress reports on the issue of legal title of assets.

Agreed : The Committee agreed to: write to the Minister requesting information regarding asset disposals relating to the restoration of the Ulster Canal; and to revisit the funding issue for the project after the next NSMC meeting in February 2012.

Agreed : The Committee agreed to request an oral briefing from the Arts Council on its draft framework to implement the recommendations from the ASOP Evaluation Report.

4. Assembly Research and Information Service Briefing on Olympics

The Committee noted the Research Paper on the ‘Potential Benefits of the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Northern Ireland’.

Dr Dan Hull spoke to his research paper.

Mr Pat Sheehan joined the meeting at 10.48am.

Mr Michael McGimpsey joined the meeting at 10.50am.

A question and answer session followed.

5. Briefing to provide an Update on the NI Strategy for the Olympics

The following officials joined the meeting at 11.02am:

Director of Sport, Museums and Recreation, DCAL, Mr Mick Cory;

Head of the Trade Sector Team, Invest NI, Mr Maurice Patterson OBE;

NI Creative Programmer for the 2012 Games; Arts Council, Mr Cian Smyth; and

Chairperson of the Pre-Games Training Camp Steering Group and Director of Corporate Service, Sport NI, Mr Andrew Sloan.

A question and answer session followed.

Agreed : The officials agreed to clarify the estimated cost to Northern Ireland of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, as quoted in the Assembly Research paper.

Mr Pat Sheehan left the meeting at 11.35am.

Mr Pat Sheehan returned to the meeting at 11.36am.

Mr Dominic Bradley left the meeting at 11.50am.

Mr David Hilditch left the meeting at 11.55am.

Mr Dominic Bradley returned to the meeting at 12.02pm.

Agreed: The officials agreed to advise the Committee of DCAL’s monetary contribution to the Games.

The officials left the meeting at 12.06pm.

Agreed : The Committee agreed to write to the Department on the following issues: assurances that representations are being made to ensure that, following the Games, Northern Ireland benefits from reinvestment via the lottery fund and asset disposal; that grass root and rural communities are included in the programme of events as part of the Culture Olympiad; that children, young people and local sports clubs are actively involved in the Games; clarification of the uptake of the NI 2012 Volunteer Bursary Scheme from socially disadvantaged areas; how the Get Set Education Programme is promoted; and the outcome to the Post Project Evaluation.

6. Correspondence

The Committee noted the correspondence from the Minister outlining her intention to deliver two statements to the Assembly, on the outcome to the NSMC Language Body and Inland Waterways meetings.

Agreed : The Committee agreed to request a briefing from Foras na Gaeilge on the outcome to the revised consultation into the core funding for Irish Language bodies.

Agreed : The Committee agreed to schedule a briefing from the Lagan Canal Trust onto the Forward Work Programme.

Agreed : The Committee considered correspondence from Post 19 Lobby Group and agreed to return to this issue at a later date.

Agreed : The Committee agreed to forward the correspondence from the Committee for the Environment regarding River Management onto the Department.

7. Chairperson’s business

The Committee noted that the Chair and Clerk attended a breakfast seminar by Arts and Business entitled Beyond the Cheque.

The Committee noted that Members had received invitations to the launch of the All Party Group on Ulster Rugby on 7 November.

8. Forward Work Programme

Mr David Hilditch returned to the meeting at 12.15pm.

The Committee agreed the draft Forward Work Programme.

Agreed : The Committee agreed to meet on Tuesday 6 December at 1.30pm for a Departmental briefing on January monitoring.

9. Any other business

There was no other business.

10. Date and Time of Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure will take place on Thursday 10 November 2011 at 10.30am in Room 21, Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.20pm.

Miss Michelle McIlveen MLA 
Chairperson, Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure 
Chairperson