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TITHE AN OIREACHTAISAn Comhchoiste um Chomhshaol agus Rialtas ÁitiúilTUARASCÁIL BHLIANTÚIL 2004 agus CLÁR OIBRE 2005Márta 2005HOUSES OF THE OIREACHTASJoint Committee on the Environment and Local GovernmentANNUAL REPORT 2004 and WORK PROGRAMME 2005March 2005
TITHE AN OIREACHTAISAn Comhchoiste um Chomhshaol agus Rialtas ÁitiúilTUARASCÁIL BHLIANTÚIL 2004 agus CLÁR OIBRE 2005Márta 2005HOUSES OF THE OIREACHTASJoint Committee on the Environment and Local GovernmentANNUAL REPORT 2004 and WORK PROGRAMME 2005March 2005Annual Report 2004 and Work Programme 2005Table of Contents
1. Content and Format of ReportThis 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 of 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 8th March, 2005 the Joint Committee agreed that all these items be included in its annual report. 2. Functions and PowersThe 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 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 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 MembershipDeputy Seán Haughey was elected as Chairman of the Joint Committee on 24th November, 2004 following the appointment of Deputy Sean Power as Minister of State. Deputy Jackie Healy-Rae is Vice-Chairman. The Chairman of the Joint Committee is also Chairman of the Dáil Select Committee. Deputies John Cregan and Padraig McCormack 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. Deputy McCormack was appointed as convenor on 28th October 2004. Deputy Bernard Allen’s membership of the Committee ceased on 20th October 2004 and Deputy Fergus O’Dowd replaced him on that date. The Members of the Joint Committee are set out at Appendix 2 4. Meetings, Attendance and RecordingMeetings of the Joint Committee and Select Committee 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 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 is set out at Section 8. 5. Number and Duration of MeetingsThe Joint Committee met on 20 occasions in the year under report. The number of hours discussion involved in these meetings was in excess of 29 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 13 occasions in the year under report and the number of hours discussion involved in these meetings was in excess of 42 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 Committee6.1 Joint CommitteeThe Committee met on 20 occasions and considered the following matters: •Scrutiny of EU Documents •Electronic Voting •Conservation priorities at National and European level. •Development of the M3 Motorway •Emissions Trading •Homelessness, Housing •Nitrates Directive •Travel Proposals •EU Environmental Law •Housing for persons with disabilities •Biomass Energy Schemes •E.U. Environmental Council A copy of the Joint Committees work programme for 2005 is at Appendix 6. 6.2 Dáil Select CommitteeThe Committee met on 13 occasions and dealt with the following matters: •Residential Tenancies Bill 2003 •European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2003 •Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2004 •Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004 •Consideration of Revised Estimates •National Monuments (Amendment) Bill 2004 7. Groups and Individuals attending before CommitteeIn 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. •Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland •Hungarian Parliamentary Delegation •Birdwatch Ireland •Save the Tara-Skryne Valley Campaign Group •M3 Motorway Development — subject matter experts, Mr Conor Newman, Dr. Edel Breathnach, and Mr Joe Fenwick. •Irish Council for Social Housing, •Homeless Agency, and ‘Housing Access for All’. •Simon Community •Threshold •Focus Ireland •Society of St. Vincent de Paul •Teagasc •National Roads Authority •Irish Farmers’ Association •Disability Federation of Ireland •Biomass Heating Solutions Ltd •Food Safety Authority of Ireland •Friends of the Earth •GM Free Ireland Network •Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association •Mr Dick Roche T.D., Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and his officials 8. Joint Committee ReportsDuring the year under report the Joint Committee published the following reports: •Report on the bilateral Visit to Czech Republic •Report on the Conference on Recycling: Golden Gateway to Sustainability - San Francisco •Report on the Meeting of EU Environment Committees - Brussels •Report on the Meeting on Climate Change of EU Environment Committees and Meetings with Argentine officials involved in environmental issues — Buenos Aires 8.1 Work in Progress•Scrutiny of EU Documents •Preparation of Work Programme for 2005 9. Travel by the Joint CommitteeThe Committee undertook the following travel in accordance with its orders of reference and in connection with its work programme:
10. Functions and PowersThe Committee is currently satisfied with its present procedures and role. ____________________________ Seán Haughey T.D. Chairman of the Joint Committee March 2005. |
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