Committee for the Executive Office

Minutes of Proceedings 2 March 2022

Committee for the Executive Office - 2 March 2022.pdf (168.21 kb)

Present:                 
Mr John Stewart MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Trevor Lunn MLA
Mr Pat Sheehan MLA
Ms Emma Sheerin MLA

Present by Video or Teleconference:
Mr Pádraig Delargy MLA
Ms Diane Dodds MLA
Mr Alex Easton MLA

Apologies:
Ms Sinéad McLaughlin MLA (Chairperson)

In Attendance:
Mr Michael Potter (Assembly Clerk)
Ms Sarah-Anne McKinley (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Ms Alison Belshaw (Clerical Supervisor)

The meeting commenced at 2.21pm in open session.

Diane Dodds joined the meeting at 2.22pm

1.    Apologies

As above.

2.    Chairperson Business

The Deputy Chairperson updated the Committee in relation to correspondence received from Rosetta Trust regarding the HIA Redress Review.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to express that fact checking takes place with all due haste to enable the report and recommendations to be shared with victims and survivors and the Committee at the earliest opportunity.

The Deputy Chairperson updated the Committee in relation to correspondence from the Department regarding the junior Ministers and how the request for the junior Minister to brief the Committee on the work they are carrying out is currently under consideration.

The Deputy Chairperson updated the Committee in relation to re-arranging the group photo of Members for the Committee legacy report. This has now been arranged for 7 March 2022 at 2pm.

The Deputy Chairperson updated the Committee in relation to the Chair attending the launch of the Inter-Parliamentary Forum on 25 February 2022 at the House of Lords where Members of the Scottish Parliament, Northern Ireland Assembly, House of Commons, House of Lords and the Welsh Senedd attended.

The Deputy Chairperson updated the Committee in relation to correspondence from Chris Lyttle MLA regarding Fair Employment (School Teachers) Bill.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that, as Members considered the Committee had heard sufficient evidence on the Fair Employment (School Teachers) Bill, should the Bill pass Second Stage and be referred to this Committee, the Committee would complete all components of the Committee Stage on 9 March.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Speaker’s Office to request that the Fair Employment (School Teachers) Bill remaining stages are scheduled after the Committee for the Executive Office completes its Committee Stage on 9 March 2022.

3.    Draft Minutes

Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 23rd February 2022.

4.    Matters Arising

The Deputy Chairperson updated the Committee that the presentation from the Integrated Education Fund and Ulster University on the Fair Employment (School Teachers) Bill at last week’s meeting was sent through to the Committee. The Committee will consider options for any amendments to the Fair Employment (School Teachers) Bill at next week’s meeting.

5.    Women's Resource and Development Agency: Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy– Oral Briefing 

Representatives from the Women's Resource and Development Agency joined the meeting at 2.34pm.

  • Ms Rachel Powell, Women’s Sector Lobbyist Women’s Resource and Development Agency
  • Ms Elaine Crory, Good Relations Coordinator Women’s Resource and Development Agency

The Women's Resource and Development Agency briefed the Committee in relation to the findings of their survey relating to the Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls strategy.

The oral evidence session was followed by a question and answer session.

Pat Sheehan left the meeting at 4.01pm

Pat Sheehan returned to the meeting at 4.10pm

Emma Sheerin joined the meeting at 4.06pm

Emma Sheerin left the meeting at 4.10pm

Emma Sheerin returned to the meeting at 4.13pm

The Chairperson thanked the Women's Resource and Development Agency for their attendance.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the Feminist Recovery Plan to the Department and to ask for an update on progress on the recommendations contained within the Plan.

6.    EU Exit Matters: Northern Ireland Assembly EU Affairs Manager– Oral Briefing

The Northern Ireland Assembly EU Affairs Manager joined the meeting at 4.22pm.

  • Ms Shauna Mageean, Northern Ireland Assembly EU Affairs Manager

The Deputy Chairperson updated the Committee that due to the Second Stage of the Fair Employment (School Teachers) Bill taking place in the Assembly chamber this afternoon the Northern Ireland Assembly EU Affairs Manager would attend next week’s meeting to provide her oral briefing instead.

7.    Forward Work Programme

The Committee noted the Forward Work Programme for March 2022.

8.    Correspondence

i.        The Committee noted correspondence from the Commissioner for Survivors of Institutional Childhood Abuse (COSICA) in relation to condolences on the death of Christopher Stalford MLA.

ii.        The Committee noted correspondence from the Executive Office regarding the Historical Institutional Abuse official apology.

iii.        The Committee noted correspondence from the Executive Office in relation to the UK Community Renewal Fund.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Finance Minister in relation to the UK Community Renewal Fund.

iv.        The Committee noted correspondence from Baroness Williams to the House of Lords Sub-Committee on the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol regarding the Nationality and Borders Bill.

v.         The Committee noted correspondence from the House of Lords Sub-Committee on the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol to Lord True in relation to the Elections Bill.

vi.        The Committee noted correspondence from the Northern Ireland Fiscal Council regarding stakeholder engagement and Forward Work Plan Report.

vii.       The Committee noted a press release from the Executive Office News in relation to a Statement from Ministers delivering the Historical Institutional Abuse official apology.

viii.      The Committee noted a report from Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission regarding their Draft Strategic Plan for 2022-2025.

ix.        The Committee noted correspondence from the Minister of Finance in relation to Sub-Regional Stadia Programme for soccer.

x.        The Committee noted correspondence from the UK Government regarding the Minister of State's speech to the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly on 28 February 2022.

9.    Any Other Business

None.

10. Date, Time and Place of the next meeting

The next Committee meeting will be held on Wednesday 9 March 2022 at 2:00pm, in Room 30, Parliament Buildings.

The meeting was adjourned at 4.26pm.

John Stewart MLA
Deputy Chairperson, Committee for the Executive Office