Committee Reports > List of Committees > Joint > 2007 > Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs > Annual Report of the Joint Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, 2006 and Work Programme 2007

TITHE AN OIREACHTAIS

An Comhchoiste um Ghnóthaí Ealaíon, Spóirt, Turasóireachta, Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta

TUARASCÁIL BHLIANTÚIL 2006

agus

CLÁR OIBRE 2007

Eanáir 2007

HOUSES OF THE OIREACHTAS

Joint Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

ANNUAL REPORT 2006

and

WORK PROGRAMME 2007

January 2007

TITHE AN OIREACHTAIS

An Comhchoiste um Ghnóthaí Ealaíon, Spóirt, Turasóireachta, Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta

TUARASCÁIL BHLIANTÚIL 2006

agus

CLÁR OIBRE 2007

Eanáir 2007

HOUSES OF THE OIREACHTAS

Joint Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

ANNUAL REPORT 2006

and

WORK PROGRAMME 2007

January 2007

Annual Report 2006

Table of Contents

1. Content and Format of 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-

•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 15th February 2006, 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 Departments of Arts, Sport and Tourism, and Community, Rural and Gaeltacht 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 (and amended on 23 October 2002), to form the Joint Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. Among the principal functions of the Joint Committee are to consider —

•public affairs administered by the Departments of Arts, Sport and Tourism, and Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

•matters of policy for which the Ministers for Arts, Sport and Tourism, and Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs are responsible

•legislative and expenditure proposals of both Departments

•scrutiny of EU legislative proposals

•certain matters relating to bodies under the aegis of each 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 Cecilia Keaveney was elected as Chairman of the Joint Committee on 13 November 2002. Deputy Jim Glennon was elected as Vice-Chairman of the Joint Committee on 18 December 2002. The Chairman of the Joint Committee is also Chairman of the Dáil Select Committee.

Deputies Peter Kelly and Brian O’Shea 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 Membership of the Joint Committee is set out at Appendix 2.

4. Meetings, Attendance and Recording

Meetings 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.

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 Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht 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 17 occasions in the year under report. The number of hours discussion involved in these meetings was in excess of 20 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 3 occasions in the year under report and the number of hours discussion involved in these meetings was in excess of 4 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 17 occasions the Joint Committee met, it dealt with the following matters:

Annual Report 2005 and Work Programme 2006.

Presentation by “Breaking Through” on youth related issues.

Presentation by Dáil na nÓg on issues concerning them.

Presentation by Women’s Aid on the role of alcohol in domestic violence.

Presentations by St. Patrick’s Hospital, Dublin and the White Oaks Centre, Donegal on the treatment of alcohol.

Presentations by Conradh na Gaeilge on the Irish language and by iMeasc on Irish in the Garda Síochána.

Presentations by the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association, the Licensed Vintners Association and the Vintners Federation of Ireland on the use of alcohol.

Presentation by Dr. Jane Edwards, University of Limerick on Music Therapy.

Discussion with Mr. John O’Donoghue, T.D. Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism on the Committee’s Report on the Olympics.

Consideration of Consultants’ Report on (1) alcohol policy and (2) drugs policy.

Consideration of draft Report on Music Therapy and upcoming Work Programme.

Presentation by Mary Davis Chairperson, Taskforce on Active Citizenship, on the work of the Taskforce.

Presentation by the Organisation Red Card Against Racism on racism in sport.

Presentation by Special Olympics Ireland.

Presentation by Swim Ireland (Irish Amateur Swimming Association Ltd).

Consideration of Official Languages Act 2003 (Section 9) Regulations 2006.

Meeting with Minister of State, Mr. Noel Ahern T.D., in dealing with response to Cannabis and Alcohol Reports by the Joint Committee.

Consideration of Official Languages Act 2003 (Section 9) Regulations 2006 (Continued).

6.2 Dáil Select Committee

On the 3 occasions the Dáil Select Committee met, it dealt with the following matters:

Revised Estimates: Votes 24 and 27 (Charitable Donations and Bequests and the Department of Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs). Votes 33 and 35 (National Gallery and the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism).

National Sports Campus Development Authority Bill 2006.

Supplementary Estimate for Department of Arts Sport and Tourism, Vote No. 35 - Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism.

7. Groups and Individuals attending before Committee

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

“Breaking Through”.

Dáil na nÓg.

Women’s Aid.

St. Patrick’s Hospital, Dublin and the White Oaks Centre, Donegal.

Conradh na Gaeilge agus iMeasc.

The Pioneer Total Abstinence Association, the Licensed Vintners Association and the Vintners Federation of Ireland.

Dr. Jane Edwards, University of Limerick.

Mr. John O’Donoghue T.D., Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism.

Mr. Eamon Ó Cuív T.D., Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltact Affairs

Mary Davis Chairperson, Taskforce on Active Citizenship.

Sport Against Racism in Ireland.

Special Olympics Ireland.

Swim Ireland (Irish Amateur Swimming Association Ltd).

Mr. Noel Ahern T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

8. 8.1 Joint Committee Reports.

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

•Annual Report 2005.

•Work Programme 2006.

•Ninth Report, The Inclusion of Alcohol in a National Substance Misuse Strategy.

•Tenth Report, What Everyone should know about Cannabis.

•Eleventh Report, Defining Music Therapy.

•Report on Motions re. Official Languages Act 2003 (Section 9) Regulations 2006.

9. Travel.

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

(a)Destination: Santiago, Chile.

Purpose of travel: To study drugs policy in Chile: The extent of the problem, the measures of prevention, control and treatment and to have discussions with the relevant Government agencies in this area, to study the attitude to alcohol in Chile, in particular in relation to young people and to meet with the policing bodies in terms of trafficking control and the criminal law operating in that country.

Date: 20-25 March 2006

Members travelling: Cecilia Keaveney T.D. and Dinny McGinley T.D.

(b)Destination: Cambridge, England.

Purpose of travel: To visit two Music Therapy Centres in Cambridge in the context of the Committee’s Report on Music Therapy (Published September 2006).

Date: 22-23 June 2006

Member travelling: Cecilia Keaveney T.D.

(c)Destination: Spiddal, Co. Galway.

Purpose of travel: An Invitation from the Commission for Official Languages to visit their head quarters for a briefing on the implementation of the outstanding portions of the Official Languages Act.

Date: 28 June 2006

Members travelling: Cecilia Keaveney T.D., Brian O’Shea T.D., Dinny McGinley T.D. and Senator Labhrás Ó Murchú.

(d)Destination: New Zealand

Purpose of travel: To study the running of charities and their governance in New Zealand (due to legislation on this matter coming before the Committee in 2007), to study the promotion of alcohol in the context of young people and sport, to study the extent of the drugs problem in New Zealand and also to examine the provision of sporting facilities including major arenas.

Date: 4-16 October 2006

Members travelling: Cecilia Keaveney T.D. and Dinny McGinley T.D.

(e)Destination: Brussels

Purpose of travel: To attend the launch of The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction Annual Report for 2006.

Date: 21-22 November 2006

Member travelling: Cecilia Keaveney T.D.

10. Functions and Powers

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

____________________

Cecilia Keaveney, T.D.

Chairman

17 January, 2007.