Committee for The Executive Office

Minutes of Proceedings - 26 June 2024

Committee for The Executive Office - Minutes of Proceedings 26 June 2024.pdf (159.54 kb)

Meeting Location: Room 30, Parliament Buildings

Present:

Ms Paula Bradshaw MLA (Chairperson)

Ms Connie Egan MLA (Deputy Chairperson)

Mr Harry Harvey MLA

Ms Emma Sheerin MLA

Ms Claire Sugden MLA

Present by Video or Teleconference:

Mr Pádraig Delargy MLA

Mr Brian Kingston MLA

Ms Carál Ní Chuilín MLA

Apologies:

Ms Sinéad McLaughlin MLA

In Attendance:

Mr Michael Potter (Assembly Clerk)

Mr Tom Armstrong (Assistant Assembly Clerk)

Ms Andrienne Magee (Clerical Supervisor)

Mr Stephen McGlennon (Clerical Officer)

The meeting commenced at 2.02pm in open session

1. Apologies

As above.

2. Declarations of Interest

There were no declarations of interest.

3. Chairperson’s Business

The Chairperson informed the Committee of her meeting with the First Minister and deputy First Minister to discuss the truth recovery inquiry public consultation.

4. Draft Minutes

The Committee discussed an amendment to the minutes in order to remove references to Truth Recovery NI.

Agreed: The Committee agreed the amended minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 19 June 2024.

5. Matters Arising

Members discussed whether to hold an additional Committee meeting next week in order to meet with the new Permanent Secretary.

Agreed: Members agreed to invite the Permanent Secretary to the Committee and also to contact the Clerk about their own availability for a meeting on 3 July 2024.

The Committee went into closed session at 2.07pm

6. Oral Evidence Session – Truth Recovery Programme Public Consultation – Departmental Oral Briefing

The witnesses joined the meeting at 2.07pm

Members received a briefing from:

  • Martin Carey, Programme Director, The Executive Office
  • Michaela Jordan, Programme Manager, The Executive Office
  • Pauline Corscadden, Programme Team and Secretariat, The Executive Office

The witnesses provided the Committee an overview of the truth recovery inquiry public consultation.

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

Harry Harvey MLA left the meeting at 2.30pm

Brian Kingston MLA left the meeting at 2.49pm

The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for their attendance.

The witnesses left the meeting at 2.57pm

The Committee went into open session at 2.58pm

7. First 100 Days – Committee Review of Departmental Objectives

Members reviewed the First 100 Days objectives set by the Department.

Agreed: Members agreed to contact the Department to request:

  • An update on the draft Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy consultation
  • Confirmation of the date the consultation report is to be published
  • Clarification around the reasons for delay in June Monitoring
  • Details of funding for T: BUC summer interventions
  • A timeline for the completion of the 100-day commitments in the First Day Brief

8. Draft Forward Work Programme

Members considered the draft forward work programme.

Agreed: Members agreed to invite the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland to a future Committee meeting.

Agreed: Members agreed that they were content to proceed with the briefings as set out in the work programme.

9. Correspondence

  1. The Committee noted the summary of Committee correspondence.
  2. The Committee noted an invitation from the NI Judicial Appointments Commission to an event in February 2025.
  3. The Committee noted a response from the First and deputy First Minister on the Committee’s invitation for them to brief the Committee.
  4. The Committee noted a letter from the Department on the appointment of David Malcolm as The Executive Office Permanent Secretary.
  5. The Committee noted a letter from the Committee for the Economy to the Strategic Investment Board on the ISNI Investing Activity reports.
  6. The Committee noted a letter from Queen’s University Belfast on the donation of bodies for anatomical research.
  7. The Committee noted a letter from the Chairperson of the Committee for Finance to the First Minister and deputy First Minister on the June Monitoring Round.
  8. The Committee noted a letter from the Chairperson of the Committee for Finance to the Head of the Civil Service on the June Monitoring Round.
  9. The Committee noted the Annual Reports 2020 – 2023 of the NI Judicial Appointments Commission.
  10. The Committee Noted Equality Monitoring Statistics from the NI Judicial Appointments Commission.

10. Any Other Business

None.

11. Date, Time and Place of next meeting

The next scheduled meeting will be held on Wednesday 3 July 2024 at 2:00pm in Room 21, Parliament Buildings.

The meeting was adjourned at 3.16pm

Paula Bradshaw MLA

Chairperson, Committee for the Executive Office