Committee Reports > List of Committees > Joint > 2007 > Committee on Agriculture and Food > Annual Report of the Joint Committee on Agriculture and Food, 2007 January - April

TITHE AN OIREACHTAIS

An Comhchoiste um Thalmhaíocht agus Bia

TUARASCÁIL DEIRIDH

(1 Eanáir — 29 Aibreán 2007)

Aibreán 2007

HOUSES OF THE OIREACHTAS

Joint Committee on Agriculture and Food

FINAL REPORT

(1^st January — 29^th April 2007)

April 2007

TITHE AN OIREACHTAIS

An Chomhchoiste um Thalmhaíocht agus Bia

TUARASCÁIL DEIRIDH

(1 Eanáir — 29 Aibreán 2007)

Aibreán 2007

HOUSES OF THE OIREACHTAS

Joint Committee on Agriculture and Food

FINAL REPORT

(1^st January — 29^th April 2007)

April 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 25^th April, 2007, the Joint Committee agreed that all these items should be included in this Report covering the period of 1^st January 2007 to the dissolution of Dáil Éireann on 29^th April 2007.

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 Agriculture and Food.

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 Agriculture and Food. Among the principal functions of the Joint Committee are to consider —

•public affairs administered by the Department(s) of

•matters of policy for which the Minister for Agriculture and Food 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 Membership

Deputy Johnny Brady was elected as Chairman of the Joint Committee on 12 November, 2002. Deputy Máire Hoctor was elected as Vice-Chairman of the Joint Committee on 24 November 2004 replacing Deputy Michael Moynihan. The Chairman of the Joint Committee is also Chairman of the Dáil Select Committee.

Deputies Denis Naughten and Sean O’Feargháil are the Convenors of the Committee. On 20^th October 2004 Deputy Billy Timmins was replaced by Deputy Denis Naughten as Opposition Convenor. The function of the Convenor 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 all public broadcasters.

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 Agriculture and Food, 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 nine occasions in the period from 1^st January 2007 to the dissolution of Dáil Éireann. The number of hours discussion involved in these meetings was in excess of twelve 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 one occasion in the period from 1^st January 2007 the dissolution of Dáil Éireann and the number of hours discussion involved in this meeting was in excess of one hour. 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 nine occasions the Joint Committee met, it dealt with the following matters:

•Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals: COM(2006)487 re: Proposal for a Council Regulation on the marketing of the meat of bovine animals aged twelve months or less – Discussion with officials from the Department of Agriculture and Food and An Bord Bia.

•Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals: COM (2006)397 – Proposal of the European Parliament and of the Council on environmental quality standards in the field of water policy and amending Directive 2000/60/EEC – Discussion with officials from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government

•Sheep Sector – Implementation of the Sheep Strategy Review Group recommendations – Presentation by the IFA

•Avian Flu – Discussion with officials from the Department of Agriculture and Food and the Department of Health and Children

•Scheme of Early Retirement from farming

•Motion re: Section 17A (inserted by section 2(1) of the Diseases of Animals Act (Amendment) Act 2001) of the Diseases of Animals Act 1966 - Discussion with Minister for Agriculture and Food

•Ireland’s Rural Development Strategy Plan 2007-1013

•EU Farm Retirement Scheme

•Rural Development Funds

•Development of the Food Sector in Ireland

6.2 Dáil Select Committee

On the one occasion the Dáil Select Committee met, it dealt with the following matter:

•Consideration of 2007 Estimates for Public Services - Vote 31 (Agriculture and Food) and 2007 Output Statement for the Department of Agriculture and Food

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 Agriculture and Food

•Officials from the Department of Agriculture and Food, Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and Department of Health and Children

•An Bord Bia

•IFA

•Farm Retirement Group for Justice

•National Association for Early Retirement Scheme

•Irish Rural Link

•National Milk Rights Group

•Director, Faculty for Food and Tourism, Dublin Institute of Technology

8. 8.1 Joint Committee Reports

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

•Annual Report 2006 and Work Programme 2007

EU Scrutiny Reports :

•Report No. 35 : COM (2006) 423 – Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a common authorisation procedure for food additives, food enzymes and food flavouring; COM (2006) 425 – Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on food enzymes and amending Council Directive 83/417/EEC, Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999, Directive 2000/13/EC and Council Directive 2001/112/EC; COM (2006) 427 – Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on flavourings and certain food ingredients with flavouring properties for use in and on foods and amending Council Regulation (EEC) No 1576/89, Council Regulation (EEC) No 1601/91, Regulation (EC) No 2232/96 and Directive 2000/13/EC; COM (2006) 428 – Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on food additives;

•Report No. 36: COM (2006) 487 - Proposal for a Council Regulation on the marketing of the meat of bovine animals aged twelve months or less

•Report No. 37: COM (2006) 397 - Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on environmental quality standards in the field of water policy and amending Directive 2000/60/EEC

•Report No. 38: COM (2006) 684 – Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council banning the placing on the market and import of or export from the Community of cat and dog fur and products containing such fur

•Report No. 39: COM (2006) 755 – Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No. 1784/2003 on the common organisation of the market in cereals

•Report No. 40: COM (2006) 912 – Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and the Council amending Regulation (EC) no 1829/2003 on genetically modified food and feed, as regards the implementing powers conferred on the Commission

8.2 Work in Progress

Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals – The Joint Committee continues to report on any outstanding EU Legislative Proposals referred to the Joint Committee by the Sub-Committee on EU Scrutiny.

9. Functions and Powers

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

____________________

Johnny Brady, T.D.

Chairman

January 2007