JOINT COMMITTEE ON COMMUNICATIONS, MARINE AND NATURAL RESOURCES debate -
Tuesday, 20 Apr 2004

Business of Joint Committee.

Chairman

The sub-committee on EU scrutiny has reviewed directives COM (2003) 874, COM (2004) 19 and COM (2004) 26 and recommends that no further scrutiny is required by this committee. Is that agreed? Agreed. The sub-committee on EU scrutiny has reviewed directive COM (2004) 76 and recommends that further scrutiny is required by this committee. Is that agreed? Agreed.

The next meeting of the joint committee on 5 May will scrutinise the following: COM (2003) 451, COM (2003) 476, COM (2003) 740, COM (2003) 741 and COM (2003) 767. These are additional to the consideration of COM (2004) 76 as agreed today. These must be taken to clear them from the books. Is that agreed? Agreed.

At the meeting on 19 May, the select committee will deal with the Estimates for the Department of Communications, the Marine and Natural Resources. After that we will get back to the energy module although I know we will not have much time before the local elections. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Senator MacSharry

While I appreciate we will probably not have time to deal with the communications module before the summer, I ask that the Irish Postmasters' Union be afforded the opportunity to make a presentation to the committee to discuss issues or relevance to it.

Chairman

We will not be coming back to the communications module before the summer. When next we deal with the postal business it would be important to meet with the union as the Senator suggests. We intend to call also members of the board of An Post to appear before the committee at some stage in the future.

Senator MacSharry

Will they appear on the same day?

Chairman

It is agreed that we will have the IPU anyway.