Committee Reports > List of Committees > Joint > 2007 > Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs > Annual Report of the Joint Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, 2007

APPENDIX 5

Minutes of Proceedings of the Joint Committee

Joint Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

Minutes of Meeting held on Wednesday, 17 January, 2007, at 12.30 p.m., in CR2 LH2000.

Attendance

1. Deputies Cecilia Keaveney (in the Chair), James Breen, Jimmy Deenihan, Jim Glennon, Peter Kelly, Brian O’Shea, Jack Wall and Senators Brendan Daly, Frank Feighan and Labhrás Ó Murchú.

“In substitution for” Deputy John Cregan substituted for Deputy Martin Brady. Senator Eamon Scanlon substituted for Senator Kieran Phelan.

Deputy Tony Dempsey and Senator Michael Kitt also attended.

Apologies were received from Deputies Martin Brady, Dinny McGinley and Senator Kieran Phelan.

In Private Session

2. Items discussed in Private Session.

In Public Session

3. The Chairman welcomed the witnesses from Blue Drum, the Arts specialist support agency i.e. Mark McCollum, Project Co-ordinator and Ed Carroll and Claire Casey, Board Members. They made their presentation and highlighted their main concerns as being the withdrawal of Community Development funding by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and the necessity of promoting active citizenship.

4. There were contributions from the Chair, Senator Feighan, Deputy O’Shea, Senator O’ Murchú, Deputy Deenihan, Deputy Wall and Senator Daly.

5. The Joint Committee decided in conclusion to write to Minister O’Cuív and to Ms. Mary Davis, Chairperson of the Task Force on Active Citizenship on the concerns expressed by Blue Drum enclosing the transcripts of the proceedings.

6. Having thanked witnesses and Members the Chairman then adjourned the meeting sine die.

____________________

Cecilia Keaveney T.D.

Chairman

January 2007

Joint Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

Minutes of Meeting held on Wednesday, 31 January, 2007, at 3.00 p.m., in CR4 LH2000.

Attendance

1. Deputies Cecilia Keaveney (in the Chair), James Breen, Michael Collins, Jimmy Deenihan, Peter Kelly, Brian O’Shea, Dinny McGinley and Senators Frank Feighan, Labhrás Ó Murchú and Kieran Phelan.

Senator Don Lydon also attended.

In Private Session

2. Items discussed in Private Session.

In Public Session

3. The Chair welcomed the delegation from Irish Rural Link namely Martin Smyth, Chairman, Séamus Boland, CEO and Dharragh Hunt, Policy and Communications Officer, who made a presentation on Ireland’s Rural Development Strategy 2007-2013. Their main concern was the imbalance between rural development and the subsidised agricultural sector. There were contributions from the Chair, Deputy Deenihan, Deputy O’Shea and Senator O’Murchú.

4. The witnesses responded and the Joint Committee then agreed to send a copy of the transcript of the proceedings to Minister O’Cuív.

5. Having thanked the witnesses and the Members the Chair then adjourned the meeting sine die.

____________________

Cecilia Keaveney T.D.

Chairman

February 2007

Joint Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

Minutes of Meeting held on Wednesday, 21 February, 2007, at 12 p.m., in CR3 LH2000.

Attendance

1. Deputies Cecilia Keaveney (in the Chair), Martin Brady, Jimmy Deenihan, Jim Glennon, Peter Kelly, Brian O’Shea, Jack Wall and Senators Labhrás Ó Murchú and Kieran Phelan.

Apologies were received from Deputy Michael Collins and Senator Brendan Daly.

Deputy Michael D. Higgins also attended.

In Private Session

2. Items discussed in Private Session.

In Public Session

3. The Chairman welcomed the witnesses from the Arts Council, Olive Braiden, Chairperson, Mary Cloake, Director and Colm Toíbín, Member of the Council. The delegation made a presentation on their current activities and future plans. Among the topics mentioned were a new programme and awards for artists, traditional arts which are now embedded in the system with an allocation of €4 million this year and improved relations with the relevant Government departments and RTE. A total of €51 million is being allocated to 313 organisations this year though they could do much more if resources were available. To fulfil all demands they require an annual allocation of €100 million. They stressed that it was impossible to put a monetary value on Exchequer funding in the arts — the non-monetary value is enormous with an emphasis on the spiritual value.

4. There were contributions from the Chair, Senator O’Murchú, Deputy Wall, Deputy Michael D. Higgins (in attendance), Deputy Deenihan and Deputy O’Shea.

5. The Chair then brought the proceedings to a conclusion stressing the positive relationship between the Council and the Joint Committee over the last four years.

6. The meeting was then adjourned sine die.

____________________

Cecilia Keaveney T.D.

Chairman

February 2007

Joint Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

Minutes of a Private Meeting held on Wednesday, 28 February, 2007, at 4.15 p.m., in CR2 LH2000.

Attendance

1. Deputies Cecilia Keaveney (in the Chair), James Breen, Peter Kelly, Brian O’Shea, Jack Wall and Senators Frank Feighan, Labhrás Ó Murchú and Kieran Phelan.

An apology was received from Deputy Jimmy Deenihan.

In Private Session

2. Items discussed in Private Session.

3. The meeting then adjourned.

____________________

Cecilia Keaveney T.D.

Chairman

March 2007