MONDAY 14 JUNE 2010
ROOM 21, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Sean Neeson MLA
Mr Paul Butler MLA
Mr Leslie Cree MLA
Dr Gareth McGrath
Mr Declan O’Loan MLA
Ms Dawn Purvis MLA
Mr James Devlin BT NI
Mr Alec McRitchie Bombardier
Mr John O’Farrell NI-ICTU
Mr Glyn Roberts NIIRTA
Mr John Rooney Rooney Fish
Ms Grainne Walsh Stratagem
Mr. William Wright Wrightbus Ltd
In Attendance;
Ms Sheila McClelland Company Secretary
Mr Ivor Gibson NIA Secretariat
Ms Louise Simpson NIA Secretariat
Apologies;
Mr Edward Haughey Norbrook Laboratories
Mr Robin Newton MLA
1. Apologies
Apologies have been received from Lord Ballyedmond from Norbrook Laboratories and Robin Newton MLA.
2. Adoption of previous minutes
The minutes from the previous meeting of 26 April 2010 were agreed and adopted.
3. Matters arising
Most matters arising formed substantive agenda items.
4. Membership applications
Two applications for membership of the Trust from HydroNI and Attrus Ltd were considered and approved.
5. Programmes
The Company Secretary briefed the Board on recent and planned NIABT activity, a summary is included below:
Recent
12 May: Balmoral Show breakfast event in partnership with ETI Committee. 85 attended the breakfast, mixture of NIABT members and Balmoral Show stand holders from SME sector.
14 May: FSB SME European Engagement seminar at Balmoral Show. Guest speakers included all 3 NI MEPs and Tina Sommer, Chairperson of Federation of Small Businesses EU and International Affairs.
8 June: John Simpson Economy seminar which was hugely successful.
Planned
16 June: Educational visit to Wrightbus.
22 June: Introduction lunch for new business members.
26 August: Simon Hamilton Fellowship with Firmus Energy.
14 September: Joanne Stuart, IOD breakfast briefing.
27 September: Lisbon Treaty seminar.
12 October: Aideen McGinley, ILEX breakfast briefing on “Attitudes to innovation”.
29 November: Brussels European Programme (4 days).Future Board meetings
20 September: 5:00pm in Room 21.
8 November: 5:00pm in Room 21.
13 December: 5:00pm in Room 21.
6. Forward Work Programme
The Company Secretary briefed the Board on the proposed plans for an NIABT Forward Work Programme. Based on the recent success of Business Trust breakfast briefings; the inclusion of a monthly breakfast briefing on the 2nd Tuesday of each month was approved. On 14 September, Joanne Stuart of IOD has been booked to deliver a briefing on the budget and the impact on public spending. Aideen McGinley of Ilex has been booked to deliver a briefing on 12 October which will include details of Derry/Londonderry’s City of Culture bid.
7. NIABT Review
A review of the Business Trust is underway and the Company Secretary has been speaking with each of the Trustees by way of gathering feedback on elements of the Trust and its activities. Sheila delivered a presentation on the feedback received
8. European Programme
A date has been identified for the next European Programme in Brussels. Week commencing 29 November 2010 has been identified and based on feedback received from the previous European Programme in February 2010 a Programme similar in length and content of that in February, i.e. Monday to Thursday is preferable.
Stephen Graham who has been tasked with identifying the needs of Northern Ireland Assembly in relation to engagement with Europe was asked to brief the Board about the role he has recently been appointed to and explained his terms of reference and how he hopes to engage with the NIABT in this role. Stephen intends to accompany the NIABT delegation to Brussels in November 2010.
9. A.O.B.
I propose that the date for the next meeting of the Board of Trustees be arranged for Monday 20 September at 5:00 p.m.