Committee Reports > List of Committees > Joint > 2007 > Committee on Social and Family Affairs > Annual Report of the Joint Committee on Social and Family Affairs, 2006 and Work Programme 2007

TITHE AN OIREACHTAIS

An Comhchoiste um Ghnóthaí Sóisialacha agus Teaghlaigh

TUARASCÁIL BHLIANTÚIL 2006

agus

CLÁR OIBRE 2007

Márta 2007

HOUSES OF THE OIREACHTAS

Joint Committee on Social and Family Affairs

ANNUAL REPORT 2006

and

WORK PROGRAMME 2007

March 2007

Annual Report 2006 and Work Programme 2007

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 20 March 2007, 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 —

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.

The Members of the Joint Committee are 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 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.oireachtas.ie

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 8.

5. Number and Duration of Meetings

The Joint Committee met on 20 occasions in the year under report. The number of hours discussion involved in these meetings was in excess of 30 The date and subject matter of each meeting are 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 9 The date and subject matter of each meeting are set out in paragraph 6 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

The Joint Committee met on 20 occasions; among the matters dealt with were the following :

•Annual Report 2005 and Work Programme 2006

•Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals

•Intellectual disability issues

•RTE Pensions

•Care for older people

•Analyses of Budget 2006 by Combat Poverty Agency and the Society of St Vincent de Paul

•Poverty issues

•Government’s Discussion paper on Lone Parents

•Changes in the position of Community Welfare and Superintendent Community Welfare Officers

•Income Continuance Schemes

•Administration of (i) Respite Care,(ii) Carer’s Allowances and (iii) Pension Schemes

•National Waiver Scheme for refuse services for people on low income

•Pension Policy

•Proposal for Free Transport for Polio victims

•Pre Budget submissions 2007 by the Combat Poverty Agency and MS Ireland

•Annual Report 2005 of the Pensions Ombudsman

A copy of the Joint Committee’s work programme for 2007 is at Appendix 6.

6.2 Dáil Select Committee

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

7. Groups and Individuals attending before Committee

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

•The Minister for Social and Family Affairs

•National Association for People with an Intellectual Disability

•Inclusion Ireland (Formerly NAMHI) — National Association for People with an Intellectual Disability

•Disability Federation of Ireland

•Multiple Sclerosis Society of Ireland (MS Ireland)

•National Economic and Social Forum

•The Combat Poverty Agency

•The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul

•European Anti-Poverty Network Ireland (EAPN)

•Health Service Executive

•IMPACT Trade Union

•SIPTU Trade Union

•One Parent Exchange and Network (OPEN)

•Cllr Philip Cantwell, Meath County Council

•Pensions Ombudsman

•Post Polio Support Group

•Mr Frederick R Spengeman

•The Pensions Board

•Officials of the Department of Social and Family Affairs

•Officials of the Office of the Revenue Commissioners

•Officials of the Department of Finance

•Officials of the Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment

•Officials of the Department of Transport

•Officials of the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government

8. 8.1 Joint Committee Reports

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

•Annual Report 2005 and Work Programme 2006

•EU Scrutiny Report No 4 on COM (2005) 94 entitled Green Paper “Confronting demographic change : a new solidarity between the generations ”

•EU Scrutiny Report No 5 on COM (2006) 7 : Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 on the coordination of social security systems, and determining the context of Annex XI

and

COM (2006) 16 : Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down the procedure for implementing Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 on the coordination of social security systems

8.2 Work in Progress

•Work Programme 2007.

9. Travel

The Joint Committee travelled in the year under report as follows.

•Paris. 22 — 23 February - High — Level OECD Parliamentary Seminar on Policy Implications of Ageing Populations.

•Edinburgh. 21 - 24 March — Study of childcare, care of the elderly and social policy administration.

10. Functions and Powers

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

________________

William Penrose, T.D.

Chairman.

21 March 2007.