Committee Reports::Annual Report of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, 2007::17 April, 2007::Appendix

Appendix 1

Committee on Foreign Affairs

Orders of Reference

Dáil Éireann on 16th October 2002 ordered:


“(1)(a)That a Select Committee, which shall be called the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs consisting of 11 members of Dáil Éireann (of whom 4 shall constitute a quorum), be appointed to consider such -


(i)Bills the statute law in respect of which is dealt with by the Department of Foreign Affairs;


(ii)Estimates for Public Services within the aegis of the Department of Foreign Affairs; and


(iii)Proposals contained in any motion, including any motion within the meaning of Standing Order 157 concerning the approval by the Dáil of international agreements involving a charge on public funds,


as shall be referred to it by Dáil Éireann from time to time.


(b)For the purpose of its consideration of Bills and proposals under paragraphs (1)(a)(i) and (iii), the Select Committee shall have the powers defined in Standing Order 81(1), (2) and (3).


(c)For the avoidance of doubt, by virtue of his or her ex officio membership of the Select Committee in accordance with Standing Order 90(1), the Minister for Foreign Affairs (or a Minister or Minister of State nominated in his or her stead) shall be entitled to vote.


(2)(a)The Select Committee shall be joined with a Select Committee to be appointed by Seanad Éireann to form the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs to consider -


(i)such public affairs administered by the Department Foreign Affairs as it may select, including, in respect of Government policy, bodies under the aegis of that Department;


(ii)such matters of policy for which the Minister for Foreign Affairs is officially responsible as it may select;


(iii)such related policy issues as it may select concerning bodies which are partly or wholly funded by the State or which are established or appointed by Members of the Government or by the Oireachtas;


(iv)such Statutory Instruments made by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas as it may select;


(v)such proposals for EU legislation and related policy issues as may be referred to it from time to time, in accordance with Standing Order 81(4);


(vi)the strategy statement laid before each House of the Oireachtas by the Minister for Foreign Affairs pursuant to section 5(2) of the Public Service Management Act, 1997, and the Joint Committee shall be so authorised for the purposes of section 10 of that Act;


(vii)such annual reports or annual reports and accounts, required by law and laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas, of bodies specified in paragraphs 2(a)(i) and (iii), and the overall operational results, statements of strategy and corporate plans of these bodies, as it may select;


Provided that the Joint Committee shall not, at any time, consider any matter relating to such a body which is, which has been, or which is, at that time, proposed to be considered by the Committee of Public Accounts pursuant to the Orders of Reference of that Committee and/or the Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Act, 1993;


Provided further that the Joint Committee shall refrain from inquiring into in public session, or publishing confidential information regarding, any such matter if so requested either by the body concerned or by the Minister for Foreign Affairs;


(viii)such aspects of Ireland’s international relations as it may select; and


(ix)such other matters as may be jointly referred to it from time to time by both Houses of the Oireachtas,


and shall report thereon to both Houses of the Oireachtas,


Provided that any consideration by the Joint Committee, or a sub-Committee, of security issues relating to Northern Ireland shall be in private session and the provisions of Standing Order 91 shall apply.


(b)The quorum of the Joint Committee shall be five, of whom at least one shall be a member of Dáil Éireann and one a member of Seanad Éireann.


(c)The Joint Committee shall have the powers defined in Standing Order 81(1) to (9) inclusive.


(d)The following persons may attend meetings of the Joint Committee and of its sub-committees and may take part in proceedings without having a right to vote or to move motions and amendments:


(i)Members of the European Parliament elected from constituencies in Ireland (including Northern Ireland);


(ii)members of the Irish delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe; and


(iii)at the invitation of the Joint Committee or of a sub-Committee, as appropriate, other Members of the European Parliament.


(3)The Chairman of the Joint Committee, who shall be a member of Dáil Éireann, shall also be Chairman of the Select Committee.”.


Seanad Éireann on 17th October 2002 (*23 October 2002) ordered:


(1)(a)That a Select Committee consisting of 6 members* ( of Seanad Éireann shall be appointed to be joined with a Select Committee of Dáil Éireann to form the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs to consider —


(i)such public affairs administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs as it may select, including, in respect of Government policy, bodies under the aegis of that Department;


(ii)such matters of policy for which the Minister for Foreign Affairs is officially responsible as it may select;


(iii)such related policy issues as it may select concerning bodies which are partly or wholly funded by the State or which are established or appointed by Members of the Government or by the Oireachtas;


(iv)such Statutory Instruments made by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas as it may select;


(v)such proposals for EU legislation and related policy issues as may be referred to it from time to time, in accordance with Standing Order 65(4);


(vi)the strategy statement laid before each House of the Oireachtas by the Minister for Foreign Affairs pursuant to section 5(2) of the Public Service Management Act, 1997, and the Joint Committee shall be so authorised for the purposes of section 10 of that Act;


* by the substitution of ‘6 members’ for ‘4 members’


(vii)such annual reports or annual reports and accounts, required by law and laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas, of bodies specified in paragraphs 1(a)(i) and (iii), and the overall operational results, statements of strategy and corporate plans of these bodies, as it may select;


Provided that the Joint Committee shall not, at any time, consider any matter relating to such a body which is, which has been, or which is, at that time, proposed to be considered by the Committee of Public Accounts pursuant to the Orders of Reference of that Committee and/or the Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Act, 1993;


Provided further that the Joint Committee shall refrain from inquiring into in public session, or publishing confidential information regarding, any such matter if so requested either by the body concerned or by the Minister Foreign Affairs;


(viii)such aspects of Ireland’s international relations as it may select; and


(ix)such other matters as may be jointly referred to it from time to time by both Houses of the Oireachtas,


and shall report thereon to both Houses of the Oireachtas,


Provided that any consideration by the Joint Committee, or a sub-Committee, of security issues relating to Northern Ireland shall be in private session and the provisions of Standing Order 81 shall apply.


(b)The quorum of the Joint Committee shall be five, of whom at least one shall be a member of Dáil Éireann and one a member of Seanad Éireann.


(c)The Joint Committee shall have the powers defined in Standing Order 65(1) to (9) inclusive.


(d)The following persons may attend meetings of the Joint Committee and of its sub-Committees and may take part in proceedings without having a right to vote or to move motions and amendments:


(i)Members of the European Parliament elected from constituencies in Ireland (including Northern Ireland);


(ii)members of the Irish delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe; and


(iii)at the invitation of the Joint Committee or of a sub-Committee, as appropriate, other Members of the European Parliament.


(2)The Chairman of the Joint Committee shall be a member of Dáil Éireann.


Appendix 1(A)

Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs

Order establishing the sub-Committee on Development Co-operation

Orders of Reference

Ordered on 18th December 2002


“That-


(a)A sub-Committee (to be called the sub-Committee on Development Co-Operation) be established to consider such aspects of


(i)Ireland’s relations with developing countries in the field of development co-operation, trade and debt;


(ii)the Government’s official Development Assistance Programme; and


(iii)the role of the United Nations in the field of development co-operation


as the sub-Committee may select or as may be referred to it by the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs.


(b)The sub-Committee shall consist of 7 Members of whom 5 shall be Members of Dáil Éireann and 2 shall be Members of Seanad Éireann.


(c)The quorum of the sub-Committee shall be 3, of whom at least 1 shall be a Member of Dáil Éireann and 1 a Member of Seanad Éireann.


(d)The sub-Committee shall have all the powers of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs namely, those contained in Standing Order 81 (Dáil) and in Standing Order 65 (Seanad) excluding the power to appoint sub-Committees. The sub-Committee shall also have the power to report directly to the Houses, subject to the agreement of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs.”


Appendix 1(B)

Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs

Order establishing the sub-Committee on Human Rights

Orders of Reference

Ordered on 18th December 2002


“That-


(a)A sub-Committee (to be called the sub-Committee on Human Rights) be established to consider such aspects of international human rights, including the role of the United Nations in this field, as the sub-Committee may select or as may be referred to it by the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs.


(b)The sub-Committee shall consist of 7 Members of whom 4 shall be Members of Dáil Éireann and 3 shall be Members of Seanad Éireann.


(c)The quorum of the sub-Committee shall be 3, of whom at least 1 shall be a Member of Dáil Éireann and 1 a Member of Seanad Éireann.


(d)The sub-Committee shall have all the powers of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs namely, those contained in Standing Order 81 (Dáil) and in Standing Order 65 (Seanad) excluding the power to appoint sub-Committees. The sub-Committee shall also have the power to report directly to the Houses, subject to the agreement of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs.”