Committee for The Executive Office

Minutes of Proceedings - 8 May 2024

Committee for The Executive Office - Minutes of Proceedings 8 May 2024.pdf (165.75 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 Sinéad McLaughlin MLA

Ms Emma Sheerin MLA

Ms Claire Sugden MLA

Present by Video or Teleconference:

Mr Pádraig Delargy MLA

Apologies:

Ms Carál Ní Chuilín MLA

In Attendance:

Mr Michael Potter (Assembly Clerk)

Mr Tom Armstrong (Assistant Assembly Clerk)

Ms Andrienne Magee (Clerical Supervisor)

The meeting commenced at 2.02pm in open session

1. Apologies

As noted above.

2. Declarations of Interest

Connie Egan declared that a witness appearing before the Committee, Cohen Taylor, is employed by her but is appearing before the Committee in his capacity as an Executive Member of the NI Youth Forum.

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 1 May 2024.

5. Matters Arising

There was no Matters Arising.

6. Oral Evidence Session – Departmental Briefing on Peace and Reconciliation

The witnesses joined the meeting at 2.04pm

Claire Sugden MLA joined the meeting at 2.05pm

Pádraig Delargy MLA joined the meeting at 2.05pm

Members received a briefing from:

Chris Gardner, Director, Good Relations and Inclusion Division, The Executive Office
Angharad Moore, Good Relations and Inclusion Division, The Executive Office
Charlene Sharkey, Good Relations and Inclusion Division, The Executive Office

The witnesses provided the Committee an overview of the Department’s work on peace and reconciliation.

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 2.50pm

7. Oral Evidence Session – Peace and Reconciliation Stakeholder Groups

The witnesses joined the meeting at 2.51pm

Members received a briefing from:

Tim Attwood, Secretary of the John and Pat Hume Foundation and Lead of Peace Summit Partnership
Dympna McGlade, Community Dialogue and Lead of Peace Summit Partnership
Ciara Ní hUisceith, Executive Committee Member, NI Youth Forum
Cohen Taylor, Executive Committee Member, NI Youth Forum
Sylvia Gordon, Head of Programme, Corrymeela

The witnesses provided the Committee an overview of their work on peace and reconciliation.

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 4.01pm

8. Draft Forward Work Programme

Members considered the draft forward work programme.

Agreed: Members agreed to write to the First Minister and deputy First Minister to invite them to the Committee before the summer recess.

Agreed: Members agreed to write to the junior Ministers to invite them to the Committee before the summer recess.

Agreed: Members agreed to write to the Department asking for a timeline for ministerial decisions relating to identity and language structures.

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

9. Correspondence

The Committee noted the summary of Committee correspondence.
The Committee noted a response from the Executive Office to the Committee’s request for an update on the review of the Race Relations Order and Truth Recovery Design Panel.
The Committee noted a response from the Executive Office on historical institutional abuse issues.
The Committee noteda letter from an individual on Covid regulations.
The Committee noted the Eleventh Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules.
The Committee noted a report from Pivotal on economic inactivity in Northern Ireland.
The Committee noted an update from the Northern Ireland Executive Brussels Office January – March 2024.
The Committee noted a response from the Victims and Survivors Service on support and services for survivors of historical institutional abuse.
The Committee noted a letter from the Chair of the Windsor Framework Sub-Committee to the Minister for Europe on arrangements of the Windsor Framework.
The Committee noted a letter from the Committee for Education to the Executive Office on educational support for newcomer children.
The Committee noted a response from the Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs on scrutiny related to Common Frameworks.
The Committee noted a letter from the First Minister and deputy First Minister on the oral statement which the First Minister and deputy First Minister will make to the Assembly on 7 May 2024.
The Committee noted a response from the Executive Office on Common Frameworks.
The Committee noted a letter from the Committee for the Economy to the First Minister and deputy First Minister on the High Street Taskforce.
The Committee considered a letter from an individual requesting the briefing paper supplied by the Commissioner for Survivors of Historical Institutional Childhood Abuse.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to share the correspondence.
The Committee noted a response from the Committee for Education on scrutiny related to Common Frameworks.
The Committee noted the Twelfth Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules.

10. Any Other Business

The Committee was informed that the informal meeting with the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement has been postponed.
The Committee discussed the late and non-arrival of departmental papers at the last two Committee meetings.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the First Minister and deputy First Minister to outline its frustration over the late papers.

11. Date, Time and Place of next meeting

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 15 May 2024 at 2:00pm in Room 30, Parliament Buildings.

The meeting was adjourned at 4.07pm

Paula Bradshaw MLA

Chairperson, Committee for the Executive Office