Inquiry into public health approaches to tackling gambling-related harm: 13th oral evidence session

Date: Monday 22 January 2024

Time: 11:00am

Location: Committee Room 30, the Parliament Buildings

Chairperson: Philip McGuigan MLA

Minutes taken by: Emer Haines, Chambré

Members Present

·        Danny Donnelly MLA

·        David Honeyford MLA

·        Maoliosa McHugh MLA

·        Philip McGuigan MLA

·        Stephen Dunne MLA

Apologies

·        Harry Harvey MLA

·        Paul Frew MLA

·        Robbie Butler MLA

·        Joanne Bunting MLA

Secretariat

·        Will Chambré – Chambré

·        Emer Haines – Chambré

·        Dara Keeve - Chambré

External Guests

·        Ciarán McGinley - GamCare

·        Diane Owens – CCEA

·        Emer Boyle- Assembly Clerk, Committee for Communities

Minutes

1.      Welcome

Philip McGuigan MLA welcomed members to the meeting.

2.      Minutes of last meeting

Members agreed that the minutes of the last meeting (12 December) were a true and accurate representation of that meeting. Proposed by Danny Donnelly MLA and seconded by Philip McGuigan MLA.

4.      Matters arising

None.

5.      Introductory remarks

The Chairperson opened by recapping the twelfth oral evidence session on the APG’s inquiry into public health approaches to tackling gambling-related harms in NI on 12 December . He then introduced Raymond Caldwell (Director of Curriculum and Assessment, Department of Education) and Noeleen McGreer (Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment CCEA).

6.      Inquiry into public health approaches to gambling-related harms in NI: 13th  oral evidence session

Raymond Caldwell, Director of Curriculum and Assessment in the Department of Education presented to members. He explained that “gambling harm is addressed in the curriculum through teaching on gambling, gaming, and financial capability across several areas of the curriculum”. Noeleen McGreer, CCEA explained that the CCEA website has links to the APG website and Gambling with Lives.

The witnesses then took questions from members.

The Chair thanked the speakers for their presentations, and members for their questions.

7.      AOB

None

8.      Next meeting

The next meeting date is yet to be decided and will be a closed session.