To ensure that we fulfil the committee's very wide remit, it is important that we set a time for future meetings. The previous Joint Committee on Enterprise and Small Business met early in the mornings. I know that most Members come to work in Leinster House much earlier in the mornings than the media and general public realise. A meeting at 9 a.m. or 9.15 a.m. might be productive. One and a half hours work which is productive and followed through can achieve a great deal. At that early hour we would not be disrupted or interrupted by Dáil or Seanad business and Deputies would be free to attend the Order of Business at 10.30 a.m. I do not wish to dictate to members. I am in your hands. I am sure we all find ourselves running hither and thither, attempting to satisfy everyone and satisfying no one. This is always a dilemma when trying to be in numerous places at the one time. I foresee this committee will move outside of Dublin to examine areas across the country such as the west. I know that Deputy O'Keeffe may wish to make a proposal in that regard. We are here to facilitate members.
Business of Joint Committee.
Why not meet at 9 a.m. on Wednesday mornings?
I second that proposal for meeting early on a Wednesday.
We need to give three preferences. The earliest time slot available is 9.30 a.m.
Thursday at 9.30 a.m. is okay.
The choice is 9.30 a.m. on Wednesday or Thursday. Members are of the view that the earlier the better. We are here and we are working.
What about Wednesday?
We cannot select it. All we can do is make a recommendation. We will make one recommendation for Tuesday or Friday. Our preference is for Wednesday at 9.30 a.m. and this is a very strong preference, top of the agenda and top of the preferences. The second preference is for Thursday. The third preference is for Tuesday or Friday but the strong view of this committee is that we do not want to sit on Tuesday, Friday or Thursday.
I note the former Chairman of this committee, my colleague, Senator Cassidy, has arrived. I know he held meetings very early in the morning and we hope to follow that lead. However, if 9.30 a.m. does not suit, I think we would rather sit at 9.30 a.m. on another morning.
Today being a Catholic holy day, mass went on a little longer and I apologise for being late.
I congratulate the Chairman on his appointment. It was the highlight of my political career to have been Chairman of this committee. We achieved a lot and we took on the challenge of the insurance sector. Like the Committee of Public Accounts chaired by the late, great, Deputy Jim Mitchell, this committee played a major role. I assure the Chairman of my full support as a member of this committee and as a constituency colleague. I will do everything I can to assist him in his office.
Thank you very much, Senator Cassidy. The two preferences are for 9.30 a.m. on Wednesday or 9.30 a.m. on Thursday.
Wednesday morning would be most convenient for most members.
We are inclined to Wednesday mornings.
We will leave it in the Chairman's hands.
Regarding the work programme of the committee--
Senator Cassidy forget to refer to this committee's great work and its recommendations on the groceries order. We will see the weakness in the groceries order coming up to this Christmas when we will see price wars and extraordinary things happening between the multiples in the whole area of drink prices. What will happen with the sale of drink is nobody's business and I believe the major multiples will start this competitive campaign in the next few weeks. They will be competing to get market share which can only be got from one sector of society, the young people who will go to the supermarkets and off-licences and buy drink at competitive and below cost price.
We must re-examine the groceries order. I note today's edition of The Daily Telegraph which states that a lot of work is being done in the United Kingdom. Some members of this committee went to the UK to look at the report which found against the multiples. I congratulate the outgoing Chairman because he did tremendous work. This committee consulted with all those involved and we compiled a report. We were not very successful once we fielded the report and its findings but in my view that was the highlight of our committee’s work.
I wish to concur and pay tribute again to my colleague, Senator Cassidy, for his work. He was very ambitious in some of the areas he undertook. We want to continue that work and explore other areas. If the committee has to travel to examine best practice in other jurisdictions with regard to reports, then we should do so. It is easy for the media and everyone else to run down elected Members for trying to pursue matters but if they fail to fulfil their duties and obligations in a proper way, they will also be subject to criticism. We will be happy to do whatever is needed to help the business community and the economy to flourish. I assure Deputy O'Keeffe that we will return to the matter of travel.
Can the issue of drink be placed on the agenda as it will be very relevant this Christmas? People are already telling me that cheap drink is fine but cheap drink can be abused.
Absolutely.
The previous committee set a precedent which the Chairman is not duty bound to continue. We set up a sub-committee to advise the Chairman and the committee members on what matters should be prioritised for discussion. We dealt with the annual reports from IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and FÁS. They came to the committee every year and we discussed the reports with the chief executive officers of those organisations. We also discussed matters relevant to our constituencies which some members regarded as very useful.
The sub-committee was chaired by an Opposition Member, Deputy Phil Hogan, who is a very experienced Deputy. I am surprised that only two members of the former committee are here today. I ask the Chairman to consider setting up a sub-committee on which each party is represented and which would be chaired by a member who would make suggestions to the Chairman of the committee for discussion by the committee.
That is a worthwhile way of advancing matters. Rather than waste a considerable amount of time at meetings, we can make recommendations which are representative of all the parties.
It would be an all-party sub-committee.
There would be no preferential treatment. I ask the convenors to furnish me with names and I will pursue the matter. Deputy Morgan will do it for himself.
I congratulate the Chairman on his election. I am not used to attending these committees which have an Opposition spokesperson in the Chair. I expect it will make no difference to the running of the operation but nevertheless I congratulate Deputy Penrose. I also congratulate Deputy Brady because he may sometimes be in the Chair and I may need to catch his eye on occasions. I acknowledge the work of my colleague, Senator Cassidy. On the few occasions I attended the previous committee, he was very courteous and helpful.
The issue of job creation merits some examination by this committee, as does the field of enterprise. I suggest the sub-committee examine a regional economic black spot with a view to coming to some conclusion. I suggest an examination of the issues such as infrastructure and general educational provision. We could talk to the local IDA office, to Enterprise Ireland and to the county enterprise boards.
We should go a step beyond those infamous task forces that have been set up. I was among those calling for the establishment of task forces in my time when we thought they might have been of assistance to this type of project. We should use the knowledge around this table. I suggest an area such as east Cork and the Waterford region would be a case in point, given the infamy surrounding Amgen which was a catastrophe for the people of the area rather than for any Minister or politician.
My second point relates to workers' rights. The main area of concern is agency workers on which SIPTU, for example, is running a major campaign. We can look at all the issues involved, including pay, terms and conditions, pensions, etc. Perhaps we could invite SIPTU in to give its input so that we are looking at all the issues of concern to the people we represent. I hope that whatever we engage in, I will be as constructive as possible. I also hope those important issues will be examined.
That was a very useful initial contribution. I am sure Deputy Ned O'Keeffe will be delighted to get us down to east Cork.
I raise the concerns of my constituency. Deputy Arthur Morgan is interested in welfare and economics and would perhaps rather canvass.
This committee would be very welcome in east Cork which has suffered a major downturn in food processing and industrial development. The situation there is very unsatisfactory. It is very much a commercial constituency and one of the largest in the country in terms of industrial development. It has suffered a lot. I welcome those thoughts. If we went to west Waterford, we would need to spend a week down there.
They are all matters for the sub-committee. It is nice to see Eugene Crowley as clerk to the committee and I congratulate him on his appointment. He is a wonderful man.
This committee has the power to appoint three rapporteurs. Perhaps the rapporteurs could be appointed at the next meeting, or at a subsequent one. I would not like the positions to go to one party. Perhaps each party could nominate one rapporteur. When the sub-committee decides on the priorities, the Chairman could decide which topic each rapporteur would report on. He or she could assist the Chairman and the committee from thereon in.
Is the Chairman going to take up Deputy Morgan's suggestion?
I will. At the next meeting, we will probably explore the mechanisms. It is worthwhile. As I said earlier, it is my intention to travel around the country and that everything should not be Dublin based. I know that might make it difficult.
Decentralisation.
It is decentralisation of the committee.
I congratulate the Chairman and the Vice Chairman. I hope the gender balance improves a little in this committee. It is a little lopsided today but I am sure it will improve. Coming from a business background, I would be interested in raising the subject of the cost of energy for small and medium-sized businesses and enterprises because it will have a significant effect as our economy slows down and as the cost of oil, etc., increases. People are finding it increasingly hard to run their businesses. I know we will set up a sub-committee and I respect what Senator Cassidy said but I want to put my tuppence worth in. That is a key issue we should address.
As a newly elected Deputy and as this is my first time at a committee meeting, I assure the Chairman that I will be punctual, will come to meetings regularly and will contribute enthusiastically to the proceedings.
I look forward to all those attributes being brought to the fore at this committee. A number of issues have already been raised. I refer to an issue I wish to raise. Regulation is important but small businesses, in particular, are being strangled by bureaucracy and regulation. A delimitation mark is being placed on business, particularly small business, and a plethora of bodies and bureaucrats implement regulations which very often stop small businesses getting off the ground.
A Government report was produced on this matter and I believe another one was issued yesterday. We must have regulation and standards, which are very important. However, at the end of the day, there should not be such a stockpile of bureaucracy as to impede progress. We should address that issue. As Senator Cassidy said, a rapporteur should be appointed. Perhaps somebody could be appointed at an early stage to examine that issue and bring forward a report. Perhaps we could invite in bodies and small businesses from members' areas which have suffered as a result of excess regulation.
I congratulate the Chairman on his election and wish him the very best. I agree with what was said about small business. The enterprise centres around the country, and certainly in this city, have been very supportive. Perhaps we could invite them in to try to see how we can help them to support small business and enterprise.
That is a useful suggestion. There is much wisdom around the table. I will be very open. There will not be a closed door on ideas brought forward by members. We can distil the wisdom from members and utilise it to advance what we all have as an objective, namely, to ensure business thrives in this economy. This is a small, open and global economy. We have much work to do in that regard.
We have a work programme and we are required to publish one as soon as possible after our first meeting. We have strayed into it here. If members have further views on priorities for the work programme, they should contact the clerk who is very eager to get to work immediately. He will help us to prepare a draft work programme. He has already taken some notes which will certainly form the basis of it. If anything else comes to mind, we will certainly contact the clerk and include it in the draft work programme at the next meeting.
Members have a copy of the work programme of the last committee which was under the chairmanship of Senator Cassidy. There may be issues in that which members wish to pursue first. If members contact the clerk, we can make further progress in that regard.
I second the proposal in regard to energy. Insurance was the last committee's challenge. While this might not be the committee with responsibility for energy, the cost of energy and energy alternatives are a challenge we face. This committee can raise that issue. The sub-committee can decide but I support the proposal in regard to energy, which is a challenge.
I will ask the convenors to look at the issue. I like the idea of a sub-committee. We would like someone from each party on it. As Senator Cassidy said, that will mean a member from the Green Party, Sinn Féin, Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Labour Party.
And a member from the Seanad as well.
That is no problem. It is worthwhile. There would be a Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Sinn Féin, Green Party and a Labour Party nominee.
The biggest fallout from the general election came from membership of this committee. I would like to give a warning.
I served on the Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food with Deputy Ned O'Keeffe and some of his warnings can be very sombre. Could the names of members of the sub-committee be forwarded to the clerk by the next meeting? I will call a meeting as soon as we get an appropriate date and time. Is that agreed? Agreed.
It might not be appropriate to this committee but there is a serious problem of anti-social behaviour. Is there any way this committee could incorporate that issue into enterprise, trade and employment in the context of creating jobs?
Of course we can.
It is a serious problem.
We will certainly explore it. We will see what the sub-committee comes up with. We are putting together a sub-committee of approximately five members which will make decisions. We will not place barriers. We will examine anything which impacts on business, even in an indirect way.
Is the Chairman going to try to avoid holding meetings on Tuesday and Friday mornings?
Yes. We have already set out preferences. I have failed to nominate a third preference so that should send a signal to the committee.
Happy days.
Unless there are any other issues, I will adjourn the meeting sine die. I thank members for their co-operation and good wishes.