Committee Reports::Annual Report of the Joint Committee on Environment and Local Government, 2002-03::04 February, 2004::Report


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TITHE AN OIREACHTAIS

An Comhchoiste um Chomhshaol agus Rialtas Áitiúil

TUARASCÁIL BHLIANTÚIL 2002/3

agus

CLÁR OIBRE 2004

Feabhra 2004

HOUSES OF THE OIREACHTAS

Joint Committee on the Environment and Local Government

ANNUAL REPORT 2002/3

and

WORK PROGRAMME 2004

February 2004

Annual Report 2002/3 and Work Programme 2004

Table of Contents

1.	Content and Format of Report	1
2.	Functions and Powers	1
3.	Chairman, Vice Chairman, Convenors and Membership	2
4.	Meetings, Attendance and Recording	3
5.	Number and Duration of Meetings	3
6.	Work of the Committee	3
7.	Groups and Individuals attending before the Committee	5
8.	Reports	6
9.	Travel	7
10.	Functions and Powers	8
APPENDIX 1 - Orders of Reference		A-1
APPENDIX 2 - Members of the Joint Committee		A-5
APPENDIX 3 - Meetings of the Joint Committee		A-6
APPENDIX 4 - Meetings of the Dáil Select Committee		A-8
APPENDIX 5 - Minutes of Proceedings of the Joint Committee		A-9
APPENDIX 6 - Work Programme 2004		A-59

1. Content and Format of Report

This report has been prepared pursuant to paragraphs 3, 4, 5 and 6 of Standing Order 84, (Dáil Éireann) and paragraphs 3, 4, 5 and 6 of Standing Order 69, (Seanad Éireann) which provide for Joint Committee to-

•Undertake a review of its procedure and its role generally

•Prepare an annual work programme

•Lay minutes of its proceedings before both Houses

•Make an annual report to both Houses

At its meeting on 4^th February, 2004 the Joint Committee agreed that all these items be included in its annual report.

2. Functions and Powers

The Dáil Select Committee was established by Order of Dáil Éireann of 16 October 2002 to consider Bills, Estimates for Public Services and the terms of any international agreement involving a charge on public funds which come within the aegis of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

The Dáil Select Committee under the same Order joined with a Select Committee of Seanad Éireann, established by Order of Seanad Éireann of 17 October 2002, to form the Joint Committee on the Environment and Local Government. Among the principal functions of the Joint Committee are to consider —

•public affairs administered by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government

•matters of policy for which the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government is responsible

•legislative and expenditure proposals from that Department

•scrutiny of EU legislative proposals

•certain matters relating to bodies under the aegis of that Department

The Orders of Reference of the Dáil Select Committee and the Joint Committee are set out at Appendix 1.

3. Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Convenors and Membership

Deputy Seán Power was elected as Chairman of the Joint Committee on 13^th November, 2002. Also on that date Deputy Jackie Healy-Rae was elected as Vice-Chairman. The Chairman of the Joint Committee is also Chairman of the Dáil Select Committee.

Deputies John Cregan and Bernard Allen 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 Leinster House 2000. Meetings were in public unless otherwise ordered by the Joint Committee.

Televised coverage of public meetings of the Joint Committee were broadcast live within the Leinster House complex and was available for subsequent public broadcasting by R.T.E., TV3 and TG4.

Verbatim written reports of public meetings of the Select Committee in relation to Bills and Estimates for the Public Services, Vote 31, were published and may be purchased from the Government Publications Sales Office, Sun Alliance House, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2. These may also be viewed on the Oireachtas website at www.irlgov.ie/oireachtas.

Copies of other reports published by the Joint Committee may be obtained from the Clerk, Joint Committee on Environment and Local Government, 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 24 occasions in the year under report. The number of hours discussion involved in these meetings was in excess of 44 hours. The date and subject matter of each meeting is set out in paragraph 7 below and at Appendix 3.

The Dáil Select Committee met on 11 occasions in the year under report and the number of hours discussion involved in these meetings was in excess of 32 hours. The date and subject matter of each meeting is set out in paragraph 7 below and at Appendix 4.

Minutes of the Joint Committee meetings are attached at Appendix 5.

6. Work of the Committee

6.1 Joint Committee

The Committee met on 24 occasions and considered the following matters:

•Illegal dumping in Co. Wicklow

•Waste Management

•Special protection areas and the development of wind farms

•Accession of the Czech Republic to the EU

•Reform of the Local Government Act 1998

•Scrutiny of EU Documents

•Retail planning guidelines

•The possible introduction of heritage legislation

•Proposal for a Carbon Energy Tax in Ireland

•Planning (One off houses in rural areas)

•Renewable Energy

•Landslide at Derrybrien Co. Galway

•EU Framework Decision on the Protection of the Environment through criminal law

•Electronic Voting

•Travel Proposals

A copy of the Joint Committees work programme for 2004 is at Appendix 6.

6.2 Dáil Select Committee

The Committee met on 11 occasions and dealt with the following matters:

•Licensing of Indoor events Bill 2001

•Motion regarding the international agreement on the Conservation of Africian-Eurasian Migratory Birds’96

•Motor Vehicles (Duties & Licences) Bill 2003

•Local Government Bill 2003

•Consideration of Revised Estimates

•Protection of the Environment Bill 2003

•Containment of Nuclear Weapons Bill 2000

•Cartagena Protocol to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity

7. Groups and Individuals attending before Committee

In the year under report the Joint Committee met with the following organisations, groups and individuals:

•Mr Martin Cullen T.D., Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and his officials

•Mr Pat the Cope Gallagher, T.D., Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

•Mr Noel Ahern, T.D., Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

•Wicklow County Council

•CRH plc

•Eastern Regional Health Authority

•An Taisce

•Repak

•Dúchas

•Chambers of Commerce of Ireland

•R.G.D.A.T.A.

•Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland

•Environment Committee of the Parliament of the Czech Republic

•Irish Planning Institute

•An Bord Pleanála

•Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland

•FEASTA (The Foundation for the Economics of Sustainability)

•Irish Rural Dwellers’ Association

•Environmental Protection Agency

•Economic and Social Research Institute

•Aughinish Alumina

•I.C.M.S.A.

•Derrybrien Landslide Action Group

•Individuals and experts involved with or interested in the introduction of electronic voting.

8. Joint Committee Reports

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

•Report of the scrutiny of EU Document on Bathing Water

•Report on the Conference on Solid Waste Technology and Management-Philadelphia

•Planning — the development of one off houses in rural areas

•Report on the Proposal for the introduction of a Carbon Energy Tax

•Report on the Parliamentary Forum on Renewable Energy Sources - Ljubljana

•Report on the study of waste management and water treatment facilities in Switzerland

•Report on the Conference of Chairman of Committees for Environment of the Parliaments of the European Union, the European Parliament and Candidate Countries - Athens

•UK Environment Conference - London

8.1 Work in Progress

•Scrutiny of EU Documents

•Examination of the consideration of planning appeals on heritage grounds by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government

•Preparation of Work Programme for 2004

9. Travel by the Joint Committee

The Committee undertook the following travel in accordance with its orders of reference and in connection with its work programme.

a)	Purpose of travel:	Parliamentary Forum on Renewable Energy Sources
	Date of Destination:	6^th/7^th February 2003 Slovenia
	Members travelling:	Senator Cyprian Brady
b)	Purpose of travel:	Study trip: Waste Management and Waste Water Treatment
	Date of Destination:	9^th/14^th March 2003 Switzerland
	Members travelling:	Deputy Padraic McCormack Senator Cyprian Brady
c)	Purpose of travel:	18^th International Conference on Solid Waste Technology and Management
	Date of Destination:	23^rd/26th March 2003 Philadelphia, U.S.A.
	Members travelling:	Deputy Seán Power
		Deputy Bernard Allen
		Deputy Eamon Gilmore
d)	Purpose of travel:	Report on the Conference of Chairmen of Committees for Environment of the Parliaments of the European Union, the European Parliament and the Candidate Countries
	Date of Destination:	30^th/31^st May 2003 Athens
	Members travelling:	Deputy John Cregan
e)	Purpose of travel:	U.K. Environment Conference
	Date of Destination:	28^th/29^th October 2003 London
	Members travelling:	Deputy Seán Power
		Deputy Billy Kelleher
		Senator James Bannon
		Senator Michael McCarthy

10. Functions and Powers

The Committee is currently satisfied with its present procedures and role.

____________________________

Seán Power T.D.

Chairman of the Joint Committee

4^th February 2004.