WEBVTT

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<i>My Name's Nelson McCausland.</i>

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<i>I'm a DUP MLA</i>
<i>in North Belfast,</i>

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<i>and I'm Chair of the Culture,</i>
<i>Arts and Leisure Committee.</i>

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The role of the committee
is really to hold

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the Department of Culture,
Arts and Leisure to account,

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to scrutinise the work of
the department and the minister,

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to examine the budget,

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to look at legislation
that comes forward

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from the department
and to consider policies,

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documents that emerge from it,

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and to respond to approaches
from the general public

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about particular issues,
because from time to time

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arts organisations
or sports clubs

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would raise issues with us.

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One of the big areas
for the committee,

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because it's a big area
for the department, is sport.

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And right across
Northern Ireland,

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so many people have a passion.

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They're interested in one sport,
or maybe more than one.

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Many people play games,
they play sports,

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and that's important too

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because one of
the key priorities

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has to be about participation,

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getting as many people as
possible in Northern Ireland

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participating in sport.

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It enriches our lives,
it's good for our health.

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Many people have problems
around obesity,

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and one of the best ways
to fight obesity

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is to be involved in activity,

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and sport is a very good form
of activity.

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So, participation -
hugely important.

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And again,
improving participation

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right across the board.

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There are some sports

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where there are not
as many women taking part,

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and we want to encourage
women's participation in sport.

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There's also the issue of
people with disabilities

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and how we can ensure
that they have access

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to sporting activity.

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So, participation.

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Then, the more people
you have taking part,

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the better the chance
you have of getting people

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right to the top level
in their sport

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so that they can go on
to represent Northern Ireland

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internationally.

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And then, I suppose, the third P
that comes in here is "places".

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We need places to play sport.

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We need to see an increase
in the number of 3G pitches

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because with a grass pitch,
you can only use that

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a number of times in the week.

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A 3G pitch you can use
almost 24 hours a day,

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so you're getting
better value from it.

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So all of those are the areas
that we would be looking at.

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When we come to the arts,
there's a similarity to sport.

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The same three Ps emerge

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about participation,
performance and places.

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The arts enrich our lives,
they make our lives better.

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They provide enjoyment,
stimulation,

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they help in regard
to education.

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There are social skills that
people gain through the arts.

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So many positive benefits.

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And we want to encourage people
to participate in the arts.

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It may be that one particular
art form doesn't appeal to them,

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but there will be
something, surely.

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And we have very many people
in Northern Ireland

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who learn instruments,
who paint,

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who perform in plays,

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so participation's
one of the big issues.

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Then also performance,
we want to get

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high level performance
in Northern Ireland.

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We have some really
top class theatre companies.

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We have world champions
when it comes to pipe bands.

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There are a whole range
of areas

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where we have really
high standards of performance.

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And then again,
you come back to

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having the right sort
of facilities to ensure

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that people have access to
a theatre or an arts centre

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in their locality.

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The issue of funding
is hugely important.

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And in times
when money is tight,

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there's pressure
on our libraries,

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our museums,
to make sure

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that we do have enough money
to keep them open,

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to keep them operating,

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so that people have access
to them.

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The fact that we can go
into the Ulster Museum here

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free of charge,

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and if you go in

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you see so many families there
with young children

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and parents and grandparents.
It's absolutely wonderful

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that people have
free access to that.

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We want to protect that
and we want to make sure

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that our libraries
are free again,

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that people can go in and borrow
books without having to pay.

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Access to information
in those two arenas,

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whether it be the libraries
or the museums,

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we value it enormously

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and there's a cost
associated with that,

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so getting the right budget
and enough money

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to support the sport,
the arts,

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the museums, the libraries,

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that's something that
the committee

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would feel very strongly about.