Committee Reports::Annual Report of the Joint Committee on Social and Family Affairs, 2002/3 and Work Programme 2004::01 April, 2004::Report

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

At its meeting on 12 November, 2002 the Joint Committee agreed that all these items should be included in this 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 Social and Family Affairs.

The Dáil Select Committee under the same Order was enjoined with a Select Committee of Seanad Éireann, established by Order of Seanad Éireann of 17 October 2002, to form the Joint Committee on Social and Family Affairs. Among the principal functions of the Joint Committee are to consider —

•public affairs administered by the Department of Social and Family Affairs

•matters of policy for which the Minister for Social and Family Affairs is responsible

•legislative and expenditure proposals of the Department

•scrutiny of EU legislative proposals

•certain matters relating to bodies under the aegis of the 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 Willie Penrose was elected as Chairman of the Joint Committee on 12 November, 2002. Deputy Donal Moynihan was elected as Vice-Chairman of the Joint Committee on the same day. The Chairman of the Joint Committee is also Chairman of the Dáil Select Committee.

Deputies John Carty and Michael Ring 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.

4. Meetings, Attendance and Recording

Meetings of the Joint Committee, Select Committee and sub-Committee(s) took place in the Committee rooms in Leinster House 2000. Meetings were in public unless otherwise ordered by the Committee.

Televised coverage of public meetings of the Committee were broadcast live within the Leinster House complex and was available for subsequent public broadcasting by RTE and TV3.

An Official Report (Parliamentary Debates) of the public meetings of the Committees is published and may be purchased from the Government Publications Sales Office, Sun Alliance House, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2. The Official Reports may also be viewed on the Houses of 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 Social and Family Affairs, Kildare House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. A list of these reports is set out at paragraph 9.

5. Number and Duration of Meetings

The Joint Committee met on 25 occasions in the year under report. The number of hours discussion involved in these meetings was in excess of 36 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 5 occasions in the year under report and the number of hours discussion involved in these meetings was in excess of 15 ½ hours. The date and subject matter of each meeting is set out in paragraph 7 below and at Appendix 4.

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

6. Work of the Committee

6.1 Joint Committee

On the 25 occasions the Joint Committee met, it dealt with the following matters:

•Election of Chairman/Vice Chairman

•Work Programme

•Administration of Unemployment Benefit, Unemployment Assistance and Disability Benefit Schemes

•Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals

•Key priorities of the budget 2003 from the point of view of the Combat Poverty Agency

•Difficulties with Members of Irish Actor’s Equity Group regarding payment of Social Welfare benefits

•Position of Full Time Carers

•National Anti-Poverty Strategy

•Back to Education Allowance

•‘Reaching out to Older People — The Links Effect’ — a project by St Louis High School, Rathmines; winners of the Combat Poverty Prize at the Young School Innovator Awards, 2003

•The role and future development of the Community Welfare Service

•The Qualified Allowance

•The Rent Supplement Scheme

•National Action Plan against Poverty and Social Exclusion

6.2 Dáil Select Committee

On the 5 occasions the Dáil Select Committee met, it dealt with the following matters:

•Social Welfare Bill, 2002

•Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, 2003

•Revised Estimate for 2003, Vote 40 — Social and Family Affairs

•Supplementary Estimate for 2003, Vote 40 - Social and Family Affairs

•Social Welfare Bill 2003

7. Groups and Individuals attending before Committee

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

•Minister for Social and Family Affairs

•Officials of the Department of Social and Family Affairs

•Combat Poverty Agency

•Irish Actor’s Equity Group

•Carer’s Association

•National Anti-Poverty Networks

•Comhairle

•Union of Students in Ireland

•Students of St Louis High School, Rathmines

•European Anti-Poverty Networks

•Community Connections

•Caring for Carers

•DergFinn Partnership/Finn Valley Carers Group

•Women in the Home

•National Council on Ageing and Older People

•Southern Health Board

•Mr James Kehoe, Mercer Consultants

•CWO/SCWO SIPTU Executive Group

•Irish Senior Citizens’ Parliament on the Qualified Allowance

•NGO’s opposed to the changes to the Rent Supplement Scheme - Simon Communities in Ireland and One Parent Exchange

8. 8.1 Joint Committee Reports

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

8.2 Work in Progress

9. Travel

The Joint Committee undertook the following travel in accordance with its Orders of Reference in connection with its work programme.

a)Purpose of travel: Attendance at the SARE (‘Space and Time for Equality’) 2003 International Conference on the Costs and Benefits of Caring

Members travelling: Deputies Seymour Crawford, Michael Finneran, Donal Moynihan and Seán Ryan

10. Functions and Powers

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

TITHE AN OIREACHTAIS

An Comhchoiste um Ghnóthaí Sóisialacha agus Teaghlaigh

TUARASCÁIL BHLIANTÚIL 2002/3

agus

CLÁR OIBRE 2004

Aibreán 2004

HOUSES OF THE OIREACHTAS

Joint Committee on Social and Family Affairs

ANNUAL REPORT 2002/3

and

WORK PROGRAMME 2004

April 2004

Annual Report 2002/3 and Work Programme 2004

1. Content and Format of Report