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TITHE AN OIREACHTAISAn Comhchoiste um Chumarsáid, Muir agus Acmhainní NádúrthaTUARASCÁIL BHLIANTÚIL 2005agusCLÁR OIBRE 20062005HOUSES OF THE OIREACHTASJoint Committee on Communications, Marine and Natural ResourcesANNUAL REPORT 2005andWORK PROGRAMME 20062005Table 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) (Seanad Éireann) which provide for the 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 14th December 2005, the Joint Committee agreed that all these items should be included in this 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 Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. 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 Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. Among the principal functions of the Joint Committee are to consider — •public affairs administered by the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. •matters of policy for which the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources 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 MembershipDeputy Noel O’Flynn was elected as Chairman of the Joint Committee on 12 November 2002. Deputy John Perry was elected as Vice-Chairman of the Joint Committee on 3rd November 2004 taking over from Senator Michael Finucane. The Chairman of the Joint Committee is also Chairman of the Dáil Select Committee. Deputies Eamon Ryan is the Convenors of the Committee. On 25 November 2004 Deputy Martin Brady, consequent to his election as Vice Chairman of the Joint Committee on Enterprise and Small Business, was replaced as Government Convenor by Deputy Tom Fitzpatrick. The function of the convenor 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. Establishment of Sub-CommitteesStanding Order 81(3) (Dáil) and Standing Order 65(3) (Seanad) confer on Committees the power to appoint sub-Committees and to refer to such sub-Committees any matter covered by its orders of reference and to delegate any of its powers to such sub-Committees, including power to report directly to the Dáil and Seanad. The Joint Committee agreed at its meeting on the 27 November 2002 to create a sub-Committee to consider Information Communication Technology. It was also agreed that the Sub-Committee would consist of seven Members (six Dáil and one Seanad). The Orders of Reference of the sub-Committee are set out in Appendix 1. The Members of the sub-Committee are set out in Appendix 2. At its first meeting on 18 February 2003 the Sub-Committee elected Deputy Noel O’Flynn as Chairman. The Joint Committee agreed at its meeting on the 9th February 2005 to create a sub-Committee to consider Salmon Drift Netting, Draft Netting & Angling. It was also agreed that the Sub-Committee would consist of seven Members (six Dáil and one Seanad). The Orders of Reference of the sub-Committee are set out in Appendix 1. The Members of the sub-Committee are set out in Appendix 2. At its first meeting on 4th April 2005 the Sub-Committee elected Deputy Noel O’Flynn as Chairman. 5. Meetings, Attendance and RecordingMeetings of the Joint Committee, Select Committee and sub-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 RTE and TV3. An Official Report (Parliamentary Debates) of 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 Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Kildare House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. A list of these reports is set out at Section 9. 6. Number and Duration of MeetingsThe Joint Committee met on twenty-five occasions in the year under report. The number of hours discussion involved in these meetings was in excess of 53 hours. The date and subject matter of each meeting is set out in Section 7 below and at Appendix 3. The Dáil Select Committee met on three occasions in the year under report and the number of hours discussion involved in these meetings was in excess of 6 hours. The date and subject matter of each meeting is set out in Section 7 below and at Appendix 4. The Sub-Committee on ICT met on two occasions during the year and the number of hours discussion involved in these meetings was in excess of 1 hour. The date and subject matter of each meeting is set out in Section 7 below and at Appendix 5. The Sub-Committee on Salmon Drift Netting, Draft Netting & Angling met on seven occasions during the year 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 in Section 7 below and at Appendix 5. Minutes of proceedings of the Joint Committee meetings in public session are attached at Appendix 6. 7. Work of the Committee7.1 Joint CommitteeOn the twenty-two occasions the Joint Committee met, it dealt with the following matters: •Work Programme for 2005 •Review of the non-electricity market •Non-ionising radiation from mobile phones handsets and masts •The viability and finances for all divisions and subsidiaries of An Post •Dominance in the mobile phone market •The tailings pond at Silvermines, Tipperary •E.S.B. power lines and the connection of wind farms to the national grid •The RTÉ 2004 Annual Report •Review on Energy •Motion on Ship Source Pollution •Broadcasting legislation •The Corrib gas field development •Fisheries Legislation •The capacity and development of commercial ports •Telecommunications issues in the Black Valley •Motion on Regional Fisheries Boards (Postponement of Elections) Order 2005 •Motion on Fishers (Miscellaneous Commercial Licences) (Alteration of Duties) Order 2005 The Joint Committee scrutinised the following EU legislative proposals: •COM (2004) 478: Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the second “Marco Polo” programme for granting of Community financial assistance to improve the environmental performance of the freight transport system (“Marco Polo II”). •COM (2004) 497: Proposal for a Council Regulation — European Fisheries Fund. •COM (2004) 654: Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on market access to port services. •COM (2005) 117: Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on energy end-use efficiency and energy services •COM (2005) 328: Proposal for a Council Decision amending Decision 2004/465/EC on a Community financial contribution towards Member States Fisheries control programmes. •COM (2005) 362: Proposal for a Council Directive on animal health requirements for aquaculture animals and products thereof, and on the prevention and control of certain diseases in aquatic animals. •COM (2005) 361: Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council repealing Council Directive 90/544/EEC on the frequency bands designated for the coordinated introduction of pan-European land-based public radio paging in the Community. 7.2 Dáil Select CommitteeOn the 3 occasions the Dáil Select Committee met, it dealt with the following matters: •Committee stage of the Maritime Safety Bill 2004 [Seanad] •Consideration of Revised Estimates for the Department of Communication, Marine and Natural Resources — Vote 30 •Consideration of Supplementary Estimate for the Department of Communication, Marine and Natural Resources — Vote 30 •Consideration of Motion re Tampere Convention on Telecommunication Resources for disaster mitigation and relief operations •Report on Motion on Motion re Tampere Convention on Telecommunication Resources for disaster mitigation and relief operations 7.3 Sub-Committee on Information Communication TechnologyOn the two occasions that it met, the Sub-Committee on ICT dealt with the following matter: •Review on Broadband 7.4 Sub-Committee on Salmon Drift Netting, Draft Netting & AnglingOn the seven occasions that it met, the Sub-Committee on Salmon Drift Netting, Draft Netting & Angling dealt with the following matter: •Review of the salmon drift netting, draft netting and angling industries •Consideration of the draft Report on Salmon Drift Netting, Draft Netting & Angling 8. Groups and Individuals attending before CommitteeIn the year under report, the Joint Committee met with the following organisations, groups and individuals: •Mr. Noel Dempsey, Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources •Department of Communications, Marine & Natural Resources •Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government •Bord Gáis Eireann •Irish Doctors’ Environmental Association •An Post management •Irish Postmasters Union •CWU •CPSU •PSEU •AHCPS •ComReg •Bantry Action Group •Digital Hub Development Agency Board •Radio Telefís Éireann •Cork City Council •Coillte •COFORD (National Council for Forest Research and Development) •Teagasc •Clearpower Ltd •Irish Farmers’ Association •Bruton BioEnergy •Commission for Energy Regulation •Environmental Protection Agency •Economic and Social Research Institute •IBEC — Climate Change Working Group •National Union of Journalists •Sky •BCI •Screen Producers of Ireland •TG4 •TV3 •Independent Broadcasters of Ireland •Community Radio Forum •Dublin Community Radio Ltd •Irish Hard of Hearing Association •Northwest Television •Setanta •City Channel •NTL/Chorus •RTÉ Trade Union Group •Irish Navel Service •AIB •Killybegs Fisherman’s Organisation •Irish Fishermen’s Organisation •Irish Fish Producers’ Organisation •Irish South & West Fisherman’s Organisation •Irish South and East Fishermen’s Organisation •Irish Fish Processors and Exporters Association •F.R.O.M. Bretagne (Funds regional of organization of the market of fish - Brittany Area) •Mr.Giorgio Gallizioli, EU Commissioner •Dublin Port Company •Port of Cork Company •Drogheda Port Company •Dr. Brian O’Gallachóir (UCC) •Professor. Martin Howley (Sustainable Energy Ireland) •Mr. Mark O’Malley, UCD (& Renewables Strategy Group) •ESB •Black Valley Community Group •Eircom •Representative of the Danish Parliament •Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) •Bord na Móna •Ballina Chamber of Commerce •Office for the Regulation of Electricity & Gas (OFREG), Northern Ireland Authority for Energy Regulation (NIAER) •eNet •Professor Shimon Awerbuch •Mr. Paul Hunt, Energy Consultant 9. Reports9.1 Joint Committee ReportsDuring the year under report, the Joint Committee published the following reports: •Report on Non-ionising radiation from mobile phone handsets and masts •Report on Salmon Drift Netting, Draft Netting and Angling •EU Scrutiny Report on COM (2004) 478: a Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the second “Marco Polo” programme for the granting of Community financial assistance to improve the environmental performance of the freight transport system (“Marco Polo II”) •EU Scrutiny Report on COM (2004) 497: a Proposal for a Council Regulation — European Fisheries Fund. •EU Scrutiny Report on COM (2005) 328: a Proposal for a Council Decision amending Decision 2004/465/EC on a Community financial contribution towards Member State Fisheries control programmes. •EU Scrutiny Report on COM (2005) 361: a Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council repealing Council Directive 90/544/EEC on the frequency bands designated for the coordinated introduction of the pan-European land-based public radio paging in the Community. •EU Scrutiny Report on COM (2005) 362: a Proposal for a Council Directive on animal health requirements for aquaculture animals and products thereof, and on the prevention and control of certain diseases in aquatic animals. 9.2 Work in Progress•Scrutiny of EU legislative proposals 10. TravelThe Joint Committee undertook the following travel in accordance with its Orders of Reference in connection with its work programme.
11. Functions and PowersThe Joint Committee is currently satisfied with its present procedures and role. ____________________ Noel O’Flynn T.D. Chairman 14 December 2005 |
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