Official Report: Minutes of Evidence

The Chairperson (Mr Gildernew): Members, you have been provided with a memo from the Clerk. Do you have any comments on it, or are you content that the Committee's call for evidence be extended until 9 May 2025?

Ms K Armstrong: Chair, I agree that we extend the call in order to give people the best possible opportunity to respond. My question is about our role during the participation events. Are we, as Committee members, permitted to attend as observers? If that is not appropriate, that is fine, but it would be useful to attend the in-person events, not to take part but to see and hear what is being said, if that is possible. If we are permitted to be observers, it would be really helpful if the dates, times and venues could be shared when they are known.

I have been contacted by a few people who have started to filter through information. I do not believe that they have been in contact with the Committee. What would you prefer us to do with that information? Obviously, I need to get permission to send in the comments, but I just want to know the process that members should follow.

The Chairperson (Mr Gildernew): On the first issue: absolutely. Members are not only permitted but encouraged to attend. We certainly hope to have members — indeed, all members — at all the sessions as far as possible.

The Committee Clerk: Chair, we have just received information. There will be three in-person events and one online event. Members will be specifically invited to all of them and encouraged to attend.

The Chairperson (Mr Gildernew): If necessary, we will ensure that, between us, we cover all the events so that we can feed back in some way.

I will ask the Clerk to inform us about how any information that comes in in that way can be facilitated and included as part of the formal process.

Ms Mulholland: It is about the locations of the in-person meetings: Foyle, Strabane, Omagh, Dungannon, Newry, Banbridge and Belfast. There is a big gap covering the north Antrim and east Antrim area, which is vast. You are looking at over an hour to travel to Foyle or Belfast. If we are trying to be as inclusive as possible, is there any capacity to look at something in the mid-Antrim area? That would be really helpful.

The Chairperson (Mr Gildernew): Can that be looked at?

The Committee Clerk: We will look at that, Chair, and come back to you.

The Chairperson (Mr Gildernew): Are members content with that? Thank you, Sian. That is an important point of information.

Are members agreed that we extend the call for evidence to 9 May?