Committee Reports > List of Committees > Joint > 1999 > Committee on Health and Children > Annual Report of the Joint Committee on Health and Children, 1997-1998

TITHE AN OIREACHTAIS

TUARASCÁIL BHLIANTÚIL ón gComhchoiste um Shláinte agus Leanaí Obair an Chomhchoiste

ANNUAL REPORT of the Joint Committee on Health and Children Work of the Joint Committee

1997—1998

TITHE AN OIREACHTAIS

TUARASCÁIL BHLIANTÚIL ón gComhchoiste um Shláinte agus Leanaí Obair an Chomhchoiste

ANNUAL REPORT of the Joint Committee on Health and Children Work of the Joint Committee

1997—1998

Table of Contents

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 28 January 1999 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 Health and Children 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 (1)(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 Batt O’Keeffe was elected as Chairman of the Joint Committee on 2 December, 1997. Deputy Paul Connaughton was elected as Vice-Chairman of the Joint Committee on 16 December, 1997. The Chairman of the Joint Committee is also Chairman of the Dáil Select Committee.

Deputies Cecilia Keaveney and Paul Bradford 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. 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 33 Health and Children were published and may be purchased from the Government Publications Sales Office, Sun Alliance House, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2.

5. Number and Duration of Meetings

The Joint Committee met on 18 occasions in the year under report. The number of hours discussion involved in these meetings was in excess of 23 hours. The date and subject matter of each meeting is set out at Appendix 3.

The Dáil Select Committee met on 7 occasions in the year under report and the number of hours discussion involved in these meetings was in excess of 11 hours. The date and subject matter of each meeting is set out at Appendix 4.

Minutes of proceedings of the Joint Committee meeting in public session are attached at Appendix 5.

6. Work of the Committee

6.1 Joint Committee

On the 18 occasions the Committee met it dealt with the following matters:

6.2 Dáil Select Committee

On the 7 occasions the Committee met it dealt with the following matters:

7. Groups and Individuals attending before Committee

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

•The Minister for State at the Department of Health and Children

•The EU Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs

•Officials from 2 Government Departments

•3 Tobacco Companies

•1 Semi-State Body

•1 National Task Force

•1 Research Foundation

•3 Special Interest Groups

•1 Representative Association

8. Joint Committee Reports

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

•Work Programme 1998

9. Work in Progress

(a) Health Promotion: Tobacco Advertising and Consumption

The Joint Committee held a number of meetings with various interested parties on this matter. The Committee intends to appoint a Rapporteur to draft a report which will include the conclusions and recommendations of the Committee. This report should be available by Easter 1999.

(b) Attention Deficit Disorder

The Joint Committee appointed Senator Mary Jackman as a Rapporteur to undertake a research project into Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The assignment is due to be completed by end of January 1999.

A copy of the Joint Committees work programme for 1999 is at Appendix 6.

10. Travel by the Joint Committee

The Committee undertook the following travel in accordance with it’s orders of reference in connection with it’s work programme

(a)The Committee accepted an invitation to attend a conference on Communications Technology in the Community in Dublin Castle on 6 March. Those in attendance were the Chairman, Deputy Cecilia Keaveney and Deputy John Dennehy

(b)The Committee accepted an invitation to attend a Conference in Belfast on 28-29 May. The Conference was entitled “Children as Citizens of Europe” and was attended by the Chairman, Deputy John Dennehy and Senator Camillus Glynn.

(c)The Committee agreed to send a delegation to a conference in Donegal on 25-28 June. The title of the conference was “Breaking the Taboos - Talking about Sex” and was attended by the Chairman, Deputy Dan Neville and Senator Camillus Glynn.

(d)During the period 28 June - 3 July a delegation from the Committee attended the 12th World Aids Conference in Geneva. The delegation included the Chairman, Deputy Cecilia Keaveney and Senators Mary Jackman and Camillus Glynn.

(e)During the period 30 September - 2 October, members of the Committee attended the European Health Forum in Salzburg. The delegation included the Chairman, Deputy John Gormley and Senator Camillus Glynn.

(f)The Chairman attended a meeting of the European Parliament Committee on Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection in Brussels on 22 October. The subject under discussion at the meeting was European public health.

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 report on the annual reports and/or annual reports and accounts of the bodies under the aegis of the Department of Health and Children, 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 (1)(a)(iv) added).

The Committee has reviewed its procedure and its role and it has agreed that it should be given the power to send for persons, papers and records so that it is in a position to properly consider matters under its remit. It requests that the power be conferred on the Committee as soon as possible.

Batt O’Keeffe, T.D.

Chairman of the Joint Committee

28 January 1999

(Note: This annual report was agreed by the Joint Committee at its meeting on 28 January 1999)