Committee for The Executive Office

Minutes of Proceedings -  5 June 2024

Committee for The Executive Office - Minutes of Proceedings 5 June 2024.pdf (160.67 kb)

Meeting Location: Room 30, Parliament Buildings

Present:

Ms Paula Bradshaw MLA (Chairperson)

Ms Connie Egan MLA (Deputy Chairperson)

Mr Harry Harvey MLA

Mr Brian Kingston MLA

Ms Emma Sheerin MLA

Ms Claire Sugden MLA

Present by Video or Teleconference:

Mr Pádraig Delargy MLA

Ms Sinéad McLaughlin MLA

Ms Carál Ní Chuilín 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

There were no apologies.

2. Declarations of Interest

There were no declarations of interest.

3. Chairperson’s Business

There was no Chairperson’s Business.

4. Draft Minutes

Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 29 May 2024.

5. Matters Arising

  1. The Committee discussed a Clerk’s Brief on potential actions from the witness session with the Victims and Survivors Consultation Forum at last week’s meeting
    Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department on the actions listed in the brief.
  2. The Committee discussed the draft press release for the Committee inquiry on the Gaps in Equality Legislation.
    Agreed: The Committee agreed the press release for the Committee inquiry.

6. Oral Evidence Session – Commission on Flags, Identity, Culture and Tradition

The witnesses joined the meeting at 2.05pm

Members received a briefing from:

  • Professor Dominic Bryan, Co-Chair, Commission on Flags, Identity, Culture and Tradition
  • Neville Armstrong, Co-Chair, Commission on Flags, Identity, Culture and Tradition

The witnesses provided the Committee an overview of the work and final report of the Commission on Flags, Identity, Culture and Tradition.

Emma Sheerin MLA joined the meeting at 2.08pm

Brian Kingston MLA joined the meeting at 2.08pm

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

The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for their attendance.

The witnesses left the meeting at 3.17pm

7. Oral Evidence Session – Flags, Identity, Culture and Tradition – Departmental Officials

The witnesses joined the meeting at 3.18pm

Members received a briefing from:

  • Chris Gardner, Direwctor of Good Relations and Together: Building a United Community, The Executive Office
  • Gavin King, Head of District Councils, Camps and Interventions Branch, The Executive Office
  • Chris Kane, Member, District Councils, Camps and Interventions Branch, The Executive Office

The witnesses provided the Committee an overview of the Department’s work on Flags, Identity, Culture and Tradition.

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

The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for their attendance.

Agreed: Departmental officials agreed to share information on the £2.2million spend of the Community Relations Council.

The witnesses left the meeting at 3.53pm

8. Draft Forward Work Programme

Members considered the draft forward work programme.

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 ta letter from the Peace Summit 2024 Partnership on the key issues and recommendations from the Peace Summit Report.
  3. The Committee noted the Fifteenth Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules.
  4. The Committee noted a report from the Committee for Finance on Engagement of the 2024-25 Draft Budget.
  5. The Committee noted a letter from the Women’s Resource and Development Agency following up their presentation to the Committee on 15 May 2024.
    Agreed: Members agreed to forward the letter to the Department.
  6.  The Committee noted a letter from the EU Affairs Manager detailing the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee Annual Report for 2023.

10. Any Other Business

None.

11. Date, Time and Place of next meeting

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 12 June 2024 at 2:00pm in Room 30, Parliament Buildings.

The meeting was adjourned at 3.58pm

Paula Bradshaw MLA

Chairperson, Committee for the Executive Office