Committee Reports::Annual Report of the Joint Committee on Public Enterprise and Transport, 1997-1998::12 November, 1998::Report


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TITHE AN OIREACHTAIS

TUARASCÁIL BHLIANTÚIL ón gComhchoiste um Fhiontair Phoiblí agus Iompar Obair an Chomhchoiste

ANNUAL REPORT of the Joint Committee on Public Enterprise and Transport

Work of the Joint Committee

1997-1998

TITHE AN OIREACHTAIS

TUARASCÁIL BHLIANTÚIL ón gComhchoiste um Fhiontair Phoiblí agus Iompar Obair an Chomhchoiste

ANNUAL REPORT of the Joint Committee on Public Enterprise and Transport

Work of the Joint Committee

1997-1998

Table of Contents

1.	Content and Format of Report	3
2.	Functions and Powers of the Joint Committee	3
3.	Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Convenors and Membership	3
4.	Meetings, Attendance and Recording	4
5.	Number and Duration of Meetings	4
6.	Work of the Committee	5
	6.1Joint Committee	5
	6.2Dáil Select Committee	5
7.	Groups and Individuals attending before Committee	5
8.	Joint Committee Reports	6
9.	Work in Progress	6
10.	Travel by the Joint Committee	6
11.	Function and Powers	7
12.	Proceedings of the Joint Committee	8

Appendix 1:	Orders of Reference	A1
Appendix 2:	Members of the Joint Committee	A5
Appendix 3:	Meetings of the Joint Committee	A6
Appendix 4:	Meetings of the Dáil Select Committee	A8
Appendix 5:	Attendance at Meetings of the Joint Committee	A9
Appendix 6:	Attendance at Meetings of the Dáil Select Committee	A11
Appendix 7:	Minutes of Proceedings of the Joint Committee	A12
Appendix 8:	Work Programme 1999	A41

1. Content and Format of Report

This report has been prepared pursuant to paragraphs 3, 4, 5 and 6 of Standing Order 79A, Dáil Éireann and paragraphs 3, 4, 5 and 6 of Standing Order 63, Seanad Éireann which provides for Joint Committee reports and work programmes as follows-

•review of its procedure and its role

•annual work programme

•laying minutes of proceedings

•making an annual report.

At its meeting on 1 October, 1998 the Committee agreed that all these items be included in its annual report.

2. Functions and Powers of the Joint Committee

The Joint Committee on Public Enterprise and Transport was established by Order of Dáil Éireann of 13th November, 1997 and Order of Seanad Éireann of 19th November, 1997 as part of a programme of Oireachtas reform involving the refining of the Committee system to enable more detailed examination of Government Departments including-

•public affairs administered by each Department

•legislature and expenditure proposals of each Department

•certain matters relating to bodies under the aegis of each Department.

The Orders of Reference of the Joint Committee were modified by further Orders of Dáil Éireann of 28th April, 1998 (new subparagraph (2)(a)(iv) added) and Seanad Éireann of 30th April, 1998 (new subparagraph (2)(a)(iv) added) and the Orders of Reference of the Joint Committee, as so modified, are set out at Appendix 1.

3. Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Convenors and Membership

Deputy Seán Doherty was elected as Chairman of the Joint Committee on 4 December, 1997. Deputy Brendan Daly was elected as Vice-Chairman of the Joint Committee on 10 December, 1997. The Chairman of the Joint Committee is also Chairman of the Dáil Select Committee.

Deputies Martin Brady and Austin Currie are the Convenors of the Committee whose function it is to ensure the availability and attendance of Members or their substitutes for meetings of the Committee and, in particular, to ensure Members’ availability for divisions.

The Members of the Joint Committee are set out at Appendix 2.

4. Meetings, Attendance and Recording

Meetings of the Joint Committee took place in the Committee rooms in Kildare House or in the Seanad Chamber. Meetings were in public unless otherwise ordered by the Joint Committee.

Televised coverage of public meetings of the Joint Committee was broadcast live within the Leinster House complex and was available for subsequent public broadcasting by R.T.É.

Verbatim written reports of public meetings of the Select Committee in relation to Bills and Estimates for the Public Services, Vote 32 Public Enterprise were published and may be purchased from the Government Publications Sales Office, Sun Alliance House, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2.

Copies of other reports published by the Joint Committee may be obtained from the Clerk, Joint Committee on Public Enterprise and Transport, Kildare House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. A list of these reports are set out at Section 8.

5. Number and Duration of Meetings

The Joint Committee met on 16 occasions in the year under report. The number of hours discussion involved in these meetings was in excess of 26 hours. The date and subject matter of each meeting is set out at Appendix 3.

The Dáil Select Committee met on 9 occasions in the year under report and the number of hours discussion involved in these meetings was in excess of 12 hours. The date and subject matter of each meeting is set out at Appendix 4.

Records of attendance by Members of the Joint Committee and their duly nominated substitutes at meetings of the Joint Committee are set out at Appendix 5.

Records of attendance by Members of the Dáil Select Committee and their duly nominated substitutes at meetings of the Dáil Select Committee are set out at Appendix 6.

Minutes of proceedings of the Joint Committee meeting in public session are attached at Appendix 7.

6. Work of the Committee

6.1 Joint Committee

On the 16 occasions the Committee met it dealt with the following matters:

•Status of duty free facilities

•Telecommunications Regulator

•Electromagnetic fields

•Ionising radiation

•Non-ionising radiation emissions from communications masts

•Public transport infrastructure and operations.

6.2 Dáil Select Committee

On the 9 occasions the Committee met it dealt with the following matters:

•Supplementary Estimate 1997 - Department of Public Enterprise

•Air Navigation and Transport (Amendment) Bill, 1997 - Committee Stage

•Turf Development Bill, 1997 - Committee Stage

•Revised Estimates 1998 - Department of Public Enterprise

•Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road Bill, 1998 - Committee Stage.

7. Groups and Individuals attending before Committee

In the year under report the Joint Committee met with the following:

•The Minister for Public Enterprise

•4 Secretaries General

•2 State Bodies

•4 Semi-State Bodies

•3 subsidiary Semi-State Bodies

•2 Chambers of Commerce delegations

•9 Community Groups

•The Garda Commissioner

•1 Private Company

•Director of Traffic, Dublin Corporation

•1 Visiting Delegation.

8. Joint Committee Reports

During the year under report the Joint Committee published the following reports:

•Work Programme 1998

•Standing Orders Report relating to Director of Telecommunications Regulation

•Meeting with Minister for Public Enterprise on Duty Free

•Meeting with Director of Telecommunications Regulation

•Meeting with E.S.B. and Cork Anti-Pylon Action Group

•Meeting with Radiological Protection Institution of Ireland

•Meeting with South East Community Television on Multi-Channel Television.

9. Work in Progress

(a)Non-ionising radiation emissions from communications masts

The Joint Committee held hearings with the various state agencies dealing with this matter, the mobile phone licence operators and a number of Community groups. It appointed a Rapporteur, Deputy Noel O’Flynn to prepare a report on the matter. This report including the conclusions and recommendations of the Committee should be available before the end of 1998.

(b)Public transport infrastructure and operations

The Joint Committee has held a number of hearings to date on public transport infrastructure and operations and has meetings on this issue scheduled until at least the end of December 1998.

The Joint Committee will report on this matter to Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann with appropriate recommendations. The objective of the report is to come up with proposals which if implemented will provide the country with a public transport system which will be appropriate well into the next century. Particular emphasis will be given to environmentally friendly transport systems.

A copy of the Joint Committees work programme for 1999 is at Appendix 8.

10. Travel by the Joint Committee

During the period 5 - 11 July, 1998 a delegation from the Joint Committee went to Germany on a fact finding visit in connection with public transport issues. The delegation which visited Berlin, Bonn and Dusseldorf comprised of Deputies Seán Doherty (Chairman), Martin Brady, Austin Currie, Liam Lawlor and Jim Mitchell. The Federal Transport Plan, the first transport plan for the whole of Germany was a main focus of the visit as it provides for maintenance, modernisation, renewal and expansion of the rail, road and waterway networks with particular emphasis on the more “environmentally friendly” transport systems.

11. Function and Powers

During the year under report the Joint Committee raised the issue of having its function amended to enable it to consider and reports and/or annual reports and accounts of the twelve bodies under the aegis of the Department of Public Enterprise, and the overall operational results, statement of strategy and corporate plans of these bodies.

The Orders of Reference of the Joint Committee were modified to provide for this by Orders of Dáil Éireann of 28th April, 1998 (new subparagraph (2)(a)(iv) added) and Seanad Éireann of 30th April, 1998 (new subparagraph (2)(a)(iv) added).

The Committee is happy with its present procedures and role.

Seán Doherty, T.D.

Chairman of the Joint Committee

12 November 1998