Minutes of Proceedings

The meeting began at 10.36am in public session.

1.      Apologies

Apologies are detailed above.

2.      Minutes of meeting held on 2 February 2012

Agreed:  The draft minutes of the meeting on 2 February were agreed.

3.      Chairperson’s Business

 There was no business under this agenda item.

4.      Matters Arising

Members considered a response from the Department on the Committee’s query regarding DSD, the Green New Deal and progress of the Inter-Departmental Working Group.

Agreed: Write to DSD for further information.

Members considered a request from DETI Innovation Unit for a list of stakeholders providing evidence to the Committee on the R&D inquiry when available.

Agreed: To share the list of stakeholders with DETI Innovation Unit.

Agreed: Members agreed responses to the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the Minister.

5.      InterTradeIreland: Agri-Food Report: - Oral Briefing

Officials joined the meeting at 10.45am.

Alasdair McDonnell joined the meeting at 11.01am.

Members received an oral briefing from Liam Nellis, CEO, Aidan Gough, Director of Strategy and Policy, and Eoin Magennis, Research Manager, InterTradeIreland. Key issues discussed included the InterTradeIreland report on cross-border co-operation on agri-food, designation of Centres of Excellence in the food sector and the potential for an all island food tourism strategy.

Agreed: Return to the issue at next week’s meeting.

Officials left the meeting at 11.49am.

6.      Electricity Market Reform: – Oral Briefing

John Simpson joined the meeting at 11.55am.

Members received an oral briefing from John Simpson, Economist. Key issues discussed included Electricity Market Reform and the report from Cambridge Economic Policy Associates Limited (CEPA) on policy options for Northern Ireland.

Stephen Moutray left the meeting at 12.25pm.

Jennifer McCann left the meeting at 12.31pm.

Gordon Dunne left the meeting at 12.51pm.

John Simpson left the meeting at 12.55pm.

7.      Draft Economic Strategy and Comprehensive Action Plan

Members considered the draft response to the Department on its consideration of the draft economic strategy and comprehensive action plan.

Agreed:  To agree the final response to the Department at next week’s meeting.

8.      Forward Work Programme

Members discussed the draft Forward Work Programme.

Agreed: Content with the Forward Work Programme.

9.      Correspondence

Members noted the following items of correspondence:

i. Correspondence from the Committee for OFMDFM regarding draft European Priorities 2012-13.

Agreed: Clerk to draft a response for consideration at next week’s meeting.

ii. Correspondence from Northern Ireland Renewables Industry Group requesting a meeting with the Chair.

iii.  An invitation to members to a ‘STEM in Action’ event in the Long Gallery on Thursday 1^st March.

10.    Any other business

Members considered proposals relating to hydraulic fracturing.

Agreed: To consider the issue at next week’s meeting.

11.    Date, time and place of next meeting 

The next meeting of the Committee will take place on Thursday 16 February at 10.30am, Almac, 20 Seagoe Industrial Estate, Craigavon.

12.    Closed Session: Presbyterian Mutual Society (PMS)

Members agreed, due to time constraints, to defer this agenda item until next week’s meeting.

The Chair adjourned the meeting at 1.04pm.

Mr Alban Maginness
Chair
Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment

16 February 2012