Michael Noonan
Question:7 Mr. Noonan asked the Taoiseach the names and occupations of the persons appointed by him recently as members of the Information Society Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30974/01]
Ceisteanna–Questions. - Information Society Commission.
Michael Noonan
Question:8 Mr. Noonan asked the Taoiseach the projected cost for 2002 of the Information Society Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30975/01]
Ruairí Quinn
Question:9 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on the persons appointed by him to the Information Society Commission. [31480/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 to 9, inclusive, together.
I announced the appointment of a new Information Society Commission on 27 November and am circulating a list of its members in the Official Report. It is being chaired by Dr. Danny O'Hare, former president of DCU. A sum of £564,683, or 717,000, has been provided under my Department's Vote to support the work of the commission in 2002. As I indicated to the House on 20 November the appointment of a new Information Society Commission is in the context of a range of measures agreed by the Government in June to strengthen its approach to information society issues. These include a new Cabinet committee on the information society and a complementary e-strategy group at Secretary General level.
It is clear that the information society agenda is central to our future economic and social development. I am confident that the new commission will play a key role in shaping the Government's response and in highlighting the public policy issues that need to be prioritised.
Membership of the Information Society Commission
|
Dr. Danny O'Hare (Chairman) |
Former President of Dublin City University |
|
Claire Cunningham |
Aura Internet Services Ltd. |
|
Dr. ChristopherCoughlan |
Compaq |
|
Michael Byrne |
Ennis: Information Age Town |
|
Jerry Shanahan |
Manufacturing Science Finance |
|
Karen Hynes |
Chambers of Commerce of Ireland |
|
Colm Reilly |
Irish Internet Association |
|
Innes Bailey |
National Adult Literacy Association |
|
Dr. Eamonn Conway |
Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick |
|
Robert Johnson |
JLS Software Solutions |
|
Clodagh O'Donnell |
IBM |
|
Dee Cari |
Gartner Consulting |
|
Marion O'Neill |
Kilkenny: Information Age Town |
|
Pat O'Hara |
Western Development Commission |
|
Christopher Took |
Web Developer |
|
Charles Stanley-Smith |
Piercom |
|
Brian Lennon |
St. Oliver's College, Drogheda |
|
Donal Toolan |
Forum of People with Disabilities |
|
Kathryn Raleigh |
IBEC |
|
Joe Horan |
County Manager, Meath |
|
Peter Ryan |
Department of the Taoiseach. |
Unfortunately I will be absent tomorrow as I am meeting the French Minister for Foreign Affairs in the morning and later will be leaving for Laeken. With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I would like to wish a happy Christmas to all the Members of the House, all the staff and all those who serve in the House and particularly to Deputy Noonan and his family and Deputy Quinn and his family. During the year we frequently cross swords, but I hope that at Christmas we can all have a rest and a break. I thank the Deputies for their on-going work as part of the democratic process and hope that all the Members of this House and the Seanad and all the staff can have a good Christmas.
I thank you, a Cheann Comhairle, for managing to keep the affairs of the House in order for another 12 months and I offer my apologies if we have created too many difficulties for you on this side of the House. Happy Christmas to one and all.
I also have responsibilities in Laeken tomorrow so I will not be here. A Cheann Comhairle, I wish you and your staff, who have always been most helpful, a happy Christmas. I also wish the Taoiseach and his family, Deputy Quinn, all the Ministers and Deputies in the House and all the Senators a happy and enjoyable Christmas, and also the staff of both Houses who have been so helpful to us during the year. Everybody should get a rest over Christmas as there looks to be little prospect of a rest, once the new year comes, until after the great event.
I will also be meeting with my colleagues, the Party of European Socialists, in Brussels tomorrow prior to the council in Laeken and will not be here. I thank you for your co-oper ation during the year, a Cheann Comhairle, and apologise for any excessive parliamentary zeal on our part, which from time to time might have been misconstrued as demonstrations of affection and loyalty, that would otherwise have caused you some difficulty. I would also like to extend, through you, our appreciation and thanks to all your hard pressed staff in the Oireachtas and to all associated with the security of these premises and with the feeding and provisioning of everybody who comes to work here. I thank them all and wish them a happy Christmas and a prosperous and politically productive new year.
By my calculations we have about 156 days from today to polling day. It is a rest for Christmas and then back to business.
I thank the Taoiseach and the leaders of the Fine Gael and Labour Parties for their wishes to me and I wish them a very happy Christmas and new year and every success in their endeavours in Laeken.