Minutes of Proceedings

The meeting opened in closed session at 10.34am.

1. Closed Correspondence

The Committee agreed to write to the Department for further information on Special Olympics Ulster and Disability Sport NI; and to schedule briefings from both organisations onto the Forward Work Programme.

The Committee agreed to write to the Department for a timeline of the review that is being undertaken into the requirements of a 21 st Century Science Centre.

The Committee agreed to write to Libraries NI to request information on their upcoming consultations.

The Committee agreed to forward the correspondence from the Ulster Folk Orchestra onto the Public Accounts Committee.

The meeting moved into open session at 10.54am.

2. Apologies

The apologies are noted above.

3. Draft Minutes of Meeting Held on 30 June 2011

The Committee agreed the minutes of 30 June 2011.

Mr Michael McGimpsey joined the meeting at 10.55am.

4. Matters Arising

The Committee noted the responses from the Department regarding (i) Library and Information Services, (ii) the business case for the regeneration of the Belfast and Lisburn canal; and (iii) the consolidation of North / South Language Body Annual Reports and Accounts.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to request a briefing from the Department on its review into its Arm’s Length Bodies.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Minister regarding an update on the restoration of the Ulster Canal from Clones to Upper Lough Erne.

The Committee noted the Departmental responses regarding: (i) Libraries NI’s policy framework and Board membership; (ii) funding for Cinemagic; (iii) its Forward Work Programme; and (iv) the money spent to date on the Ulster Scots Academy.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to commission research into the policy framework for Libraries NI and to track the Department’s upcoming work in this area.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to request a breakdown of the money spent on the Ulster Scots Academy to date.

Mr David Hilditch made a declaration that he is part of a project team that secured funding from the Ulster Scots Agency.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to OFMDFM and the Department for Social Development to seek assurances that all UK City of Culture capital projects are on schedule.

The Committee noted the Departmental correspondence received regarding the: (i) Creative Industries Innovation Fund; and (ii) Queen’s University Bookshop.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to revisit the Department’s correspondence on the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games when the Department briefs the Committee in October.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to revisit the Department’s correspondence on the World Police and Fire Games when the Department briefs the Committee in October.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to track the implementation of the recommendations in the Committee Report on its Review into the Impact and Value of Museums in Northern Ireland as it relates to the Museums Policy.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to request a copy of the screening exercise that was undertaken for Foras na Gaeilge’s consultation into core funding arrangements for Irish Language Groups.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to co-sponsor the Health in Mind event on behalf of Libraries NI on 12 October, with the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Committee for Education for an update on the issue of dual use of school facilities.

The Committee noted the correspondence from Northern Ireland Museums Council regarding its Forward Work Programme.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Chairperson should informally meet with BBC Trust, before a formal Committee briefing is scheduled onto the Forward Work Programme.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to track the upcoming work of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, as outlined in their correspondence to the Committee; and to include briefings onto the Forward Work Programme as appropriate.

The Committee noted the correspondence from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland on its Start Up Programme.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to return to the correspondence from Libraries NI on the clustering of library services in Armagh, when Libraries NI brief the Committee on 6 October.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to Libraries NI regarding the location of the Irish Collection in Coleraine.

The Committee noted correspondence from the Armagh Observatory on its forward work programme.

The Committee noted the responses from: (i) the Minister for Finance and Personnel regarding funding of NI Placenames Project; (ii) Sport NI regarding its Forward Work Programme; (iii) National Museums NI regarding its Forward Work Programme; and (iv) NI Screen regarding its Forward Work Programme.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule a visit to either Tollymore National Outdoors Centre or the Sports Institute onto the Forward Work Programme.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to Libraries NI to request a breakdown on its spend on marketing and recruitment at a sub-regional level.

Mr Pat Sheehan left the meeting at 11.34am.

Mr Dominic Bradley and Mr David Hilditch left the meeting at 11.37am.

5. Briefing from the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure regarding SL1s - Eel Fishing (Amendment) Regulations 2011 and Fisheries (Amendment) Regulations 2011

The Committee noted the Departments SL1s on Eel Fishing (Amendment) Regulations 2011 and Fisheries (Amendment) Regulations 2011; and the Minister’s Written Ministerial Statement on Fish Kill at Loughbrickland Lake, issued over summer recess.

The following officials joined the meeting at 11.40am:

Head of Inland Fisheries Group, Ms Karen Simpson; 
Deputy Principal of Inland Fisheries Group, Mr Liam Devlin; and 
DCAL Official, Mr Marcus McAuley.

The officials briefed the Committee.

Mr Pat Sheehan rejoined the meeting at 11.42am. 
Mr Dominic Bradley rejoined the meeting at 11.46am. 
Mr Michael McGimspey left the meeting at 11.49pm.

A question and answer session followed.

Agreed: That the Committee is content for the Department to proceed with the policies.

The briefing concluded at 11.53am.

6. Briefing from Assembly Research and Information Services regarding Creative Industries

The Committee noted the Research and Information Service background paper on Creative Industries.

Dr Dan Hull spoke to his background briefing paper on Creative Industries.

A question and answer session followed.

Mr David Hilditch rejoined the meeting at 12.12pm.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that terms of reference should be drafted for an inquiry into the creative industries.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department seeking clarification on administration costs of the Creative Industries Innovation Fund; and details of the evaluation that was undertaken.

7. Correspondence

The Committee noted the correspondence from the Committee for the Office of First Minister and deputy First Minister regarding DCAL’s Investment Strategy Activity Reports for July and August.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to consider the correspondence from the Department regarding its Annual Report and Accounts 2010/11, during the Department’s briefing to the Committee in September.

The Committee noted the Departmental correspondence regarding Sickness Absence in the Department during 2009/10.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department requesting the rationale and cost of the Líofa 2015 Initiative.

The Committee noted the correspondence from the Committee for the Office of First Minister and deputy First Minister regarding the European Issues event on 20 June 2011.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to hold a meeting in Londonderry, to include a briefing on the UK City of Culture Project, following correspondence from both Derry City Council and Playhouse Theatre offering to host a meeting.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward correspondence from the Renewable Integration Development Project, to the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment; and the correspondence from Friends of the Earth to the Committee for Finance and Personnel and the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to: schedule a brief from the Northern Ireland Archeological Forum onto the forward work programme; write to the Department of the Environment requesting details on the review of PPS6; and commission research.

Mr Michael McGimpsey rejoined the meeting at 12.25pm.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward Mr Stephen Moutray’s letter on Gilford Libraries to Libraries NI.

The Committee noted correspondence from OFCOM on its Communications Market Report and discussion forum.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward correspondence from the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People to the Department for its consideration.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward correspondence from the Ulster Folk Orchestra to the Department.

The Committee noted the following reports: Sustrans Free Range Kids Report; Sustrans Solutions for Life – Annual Review 2010; Consumer Council’s Price of Being Poor Report; Libraries NI’s Annual Report and Accounts 2009/10; and Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s Annual Report and Accounts for year ending 31 March 2011.

The Committee noted all the press releases issued by the Department over summer recess.

8. Chairperson’s Business

The Committee noted all invitations received by the Chair over summer recess.

The Committee noted that the Chair met with NI Opera and the Northern Ireland Theatre Association over summer recess.

9. Forward Work Programme

The Committee noted the memo from the Clerk on the draft Forward Work Programme.

Agreed: The Committee agreed the draft Forward Work Programme; and agreed that it should be published on the website.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to look into the possibility of attending the launch of the NI 2012 Our Place Our Time Programme on 29 September.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Minister’s briefing on her priorities and the Department’s briefing on Foras na Gaeile’s consultation should both be covered by Hansard.

10. Any Other Business

There was no other business.

11. Date and Time of Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure will take place on Thursday 15 September 2011 at 10.30am in Room 21, Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.46pm.

Miss Michelle McIlveen MLA 
Chairperson, Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure 
8 September 2011