JOINT COMMITTEE ON EUROPEAN SCRUTINY debate -
Tuesday, 13 Jul 2010

Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals

Chairman

There are a number of new proposals relating to adopted measures. The first measure is COM (2010) 217. Based on the information available, it is proposed to note this adopted proposal. Is that agreed? Agreed. The next measure is COM (2010) 55. It is proposed to note this adopted proposal. Is that agreed? Agreed.

We move to items requiring no further scrutiny. The measures are COM (2010) 257, COM (2010) 258, COM (2010) 269 and COM (2010) 270. Based on the available information, it is proposed that these proposals do not warrant further scrutiny. Is that agreed? Agreed.

We move to items requiring no further scrutiny sent to sectoral committees. The first measure is COM (2009) 236. Based on the available information, it is proposed to note this adopted proposal. However, given carbon capture and storage is one of the strategies that is being promoted at EU level as part of a strategy to address climate change, the EU having adopted Directive 2009/31/EC in this regard, and given the amendments of the OSPAR Convention would require changes to national legislation to be ratified by Ireland, it is proposed it would be referred to the following committees for their information: the Joint Committee on Climate Change and Energy Security, the Joint Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and the Joint Committee on the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. It is further recommended that the Joint Committee on Climate Change and Energy Security would consider seeking a briefing from the Geological Survey of Ireland, a division of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, about current and future strategic plans with regard to carbon capture and storage. Is that agreed? Agreed.

We move to COM (2009) 648. It is proposed that this measure does not warrant further scrutiny by this committee. However, given it is of some significance, it is also proposed to forward the proposal to the Joint Committee on Finance and the Public Service. Is that agreed? Agreed.

The next measure is COM (2010) 176. Based on the available information, it is proposed that this measure does not warrant further scrutiny by this committee. It is also proposed that this measure will be sent to the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for information. Is that agreed? Agreed.

The next measure is COM (2010) 260. Based on the information available, it is proposed that this proposal does not warrant further scrutiny by this committee. However, the changes proposed to the financial regulation are likely to be intensively debated between the Council and the European Parliament, and given that some of the changes may have an impact on the EU expenditure that benefits Ireland, it is also proposed that this proposal be forwarded to the Joint Committee on Finance and the Public Service and the Joint Committee on European Affairs for information. Is that agreed? Agreed.

We now move to measures COM (2010) 275, COM (2010) 276, COM (2010) 277, COM (2010) 294, COM (2010) 298 and COM (2010) 299. Given that the Council has already decided on these proposals and that the committee has already considered the issue of the authorisation of the GMOs in general terms, it is proposed that these proposals do not warrant further scrutiny by this committee. However, given that Ireland imports significant quantities of maize for animal feed and that it is likely that GM products will be included in these imports if the Commission decides to adopt these measures, it is also proposed to forward these proposals to the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for information. Given the Department of Health and Children has primary responsibility for GMOs in Ireland in respect of food, it is also proposed to forward these proposals to the Joint Committee on Health and Children for information. Is that agreed? Agreed.

The next items relate to measures referred to sectoral committees for detailed scrutiny. The first measure is COM (2010) 283. Given that this proposal will provide opportunities for Ireland to apply for EU funding to support suitable projects in the energy efficiency and renewable energy area, an area identified as a priority for the establishment of a smart economy, it is proposed that this proposal warrants further scrutiny. To this end, it is proposed to refer this proposal to the Joint Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources for scrutiny. Is that agreed? Agreed.

The next measure is COM (2010) 306. This proposal has a positive implication for the Irish fishing industry in terms of the proposed exclusion of Irish fishing vessels from the cod recovery plan and a possible negative implication in terms of the proposed transfer of effort and capacity of the Dutch fishing fleet from the North Sea to the Irish Sea. It is, therefore, proposed that this proposal warrants further scrutiny. To this end, it is proposed to refer this proposal to the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for detailed scrutiny. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Deputy Michael P. Kitt

The Chairman notes that this is a very important proposal. Will it come back from the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to this committee?

Chairman

It will report back. In terms of the entire Irish fishing industry and in light of the cod recovery plan it is important that we get it back. We will have that for the September meeting.

Before we conclude, we are delighted to acknowledge distinguished guests in the Visitors' Gallery. The report we dealt with previously, which was agreed, was to do with our visit to Romania, and Ambassador Buga from Romania is present. That report will be sent to the ambassador. The trip to Bulgaria also was effective. We got a unique opportunity and the level of hospitality and friendliness was excellent.

I thank the ambassador most sincerely for the level of facilitation given by his Government and the unique opportunities for Ireland in the coming years in terms of private public partnerships and other opportunities for business. We are delighted that the ambassador is present and he will have the report in the next week.

I welcome also in the Visitors' Gallery Representative David Lee, his wife Jan and Alex Lee to this session of the Joint Committee on European Scrutiny. Representative Lee of the Taipei Representative Office in Ireland came here just over two years ago and next month he will move to another country to take up a new assignment.

Having worked closely with Representative Lee during the past two years in my capacity as Chair of the Ireland Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Society, I commend his outstanding role in fostering and developing bilateral cultural, educational and economic relations between Taiwan and Ireland. I welcome the increased substantive links now in evidence to the mutual benefit of both of our countries. In particular, I acknowledge his role in promoting and successfully achieving the passage of a visa waiver scheme for Taiwanese nationals. This waiver scheme promises to act as a foundation for future progress, a catalyst for greater mutual trade and investment and underpin and stimulate the growth of new academic links, scientific co-operation, cultural exchange, tourism and student exchange. The recent investment by G-LED Lighting, which is very welcome, the MOU signed by Solarprint Ltd, and the Autumn Energy and BioTech workshops are clear illustration of the meaningful benefit of that co-operation.

Now that Representative Lee is to take up a new position, I expect that he will continue to develop Taiwan's bilateral links with European countries and I hope the legacy and foundation established by his term in Ireland will be recognised, valued and built upon thereby leading to greater economic stability and prosperity for Taiwan and Ireland.

In my role as Chairman of this scrutiny committee and having chaired the Ireland Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Society for two years, I found that the level of co-operation and the opportunity for the Irish economy with student exchanges, job opportunities and investment for business, cultural and educational projects were immense. I thank Representative Lee for his outstanding role in the two years he has been in Ireland in developing those very important links in an economy that is very much in need of investment, job creation, research and development. As chairman of this committee I genuinely wish David, his wife, Jan, well, and Alex, his first secretary, well on the outstanding work. I thank him for his hard work, endeavour and sheer enthusiasm. I wish him every good fortune in his future career. I know members will concur with that sentiment.

Deputy Michael P. Kitt

I join in the Chairman's remarks about Mr. Lee, his wife and family, and his staff. I wish him well in his transfer to another area.

I join the Chairman also in his comments about the Romanian ambassador, Mr. Buga. I was in Romania with the Chairman and Deputy O'Flynn two weeks ago. We had a very good visit and I thank the ambassador for all his help. We look forward to discussing further our visit to Romania with him in September.

Chairman

Everything is agreed. Unless any issues of subsidiarity from the European Union arise, this meeting is adjourned until 11.30 a.m. on Tuesday, 21 September 2010.

The joint committee adjourned at 12.05 p.m. until 11.30 a.m. on Tuesday, 21 September 2010.