Ruairí Quinn
Question:135 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach the proposed statutory instruments being prepared in or under the auspices of his Department; the proposed effect of each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1090/98]
Written Answers. - Statutory Instruments.
The only statutory instruments currently being prepared in my Department or bodies under its aegis are in respect of the Central Statistics Office. The details are outlined in the following schedule.
SCHEDULE
1. The Statistics (Census of Industrial Production) Order, 1998, has just been signed by the Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, Deputy Seamus Brennan, who has responsibility for the CSO. It covers the manufacturing industry, mining, quarrying, turf production together with electricity, gas and water supply and comprises two separate but closely related annual inquiries, namely: the Census of Industrial Enterprises is required under EC Directives 64/475 and 72/221 and covers those enterprises which are wholly or primarily engaged in industrial production and have three or more persons engaged; and the Census of Industrial Local Units which covers all industrial local units with three or more persons engaged. The census is a postal inquiry which relates in principle to the calendar year. Following collection of the data, provisional overall results are released covering turnover, wages and salaries, labour costs, net output, gross output and persons engaged. A detailed final report follows.
2. The Statistics (Industrial Commodities Production) Order, 1998, has been drafted and is being finalised at present. It is required to give the CSO a legislative basis to partake in a PRODCOM Industrial Products Inquiry. The current statutory instrument (S. I. 67 of 1993) is valid until 8 March 1998, five years duration. The PRODCOM Inquiry is statutory for all industrial enterprises with three or more persons employed in production. Only aggregate information is published and care is taken to ensure there are no direct or indirect disclosures or details of individual firms.
3. The Statistics (Transport of Passengers and Goods by Sea) Order, 1998, is required to meet the information requirements of the EU Maritime Directive —Council Directive 95/64/EC of 8 December 1995 on statistical returns in respect of the carriage of goods and passengers by sea.
4. The Statistics (Service Inquiries) Order, 1998, is required to meet the information requirements of the EU Regulation on Business statistics —Council Regulation (EC, EURATOM) No. 58/97 of 20 December 1996 concerning structural business statistics.