Agenda and minutes

            Apologies were reported on behalf of Councillors Long and McMullan.

            The minutes of the meeting of 29th August were taken as read and signed as correct.  It was reported that those minutes had been adopted by the Council at its meeting on 4th September.

            No declarations of Interest were reported.

            The Committee considered the following three motions which had been received in advance of the Council meeting on 4th October: 

            The Committee agreed that the motion, which had been proposed by Councillor T. Brooks and seconded by Councillor Nelson, be referred to the Council for debate, with no restriction to be placed on the number of speakers.

            The Committee agreed to adopt the following motion, which had been proposed by Councillor Whyte and seconded by Councillor Doherty:

      “This Council recognises the tragic and historic impact of the Great Famine/An Gorta Mór, which affected the entire island between 1845 to 1852 and resulted in the death of nearly one million people and the forced emigration of at least a further one million. As the island’s second largest city, Belfast and its citizens were directly affected by the Famine, through death and the emigration of people from all backgrounds who lived both here and in the surrounding towns and countryside.  Alongside these tragic events, various citizens led relief efforts in Belfast and across Ulster and Ireland, saving men, women and children from death by starvation.

      As a first step towards a regular remembrance of the tragedy and events of the Great Famine, the Council will write to the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to request that Belfast host, in 2024, the National Famine Memorial Day, which takes place every May.  This will be only the second time that the event is held in Northern Ireland and the first time that it is held in Ireland’s second city and can play an important role in commemorating the tragic events of that period.”

            The Committee agreed that the motion, which had been proposed by Councillor Doherty and seconded by Councillor McCusker, be referred to the Council for debate, with no restriction to be placed on the number of speakers.