The first item on the agenda is the minutes of the proceedings of the meeting of 19 May, which have been circulated. Are they agreed? Agreed.
Next on the agenda is correspondence received by the committee and circulated since the last meeting. The first item of correspondence, reference No. 2009/463, is a press release from the Minister in respect of national wildlife services and it is noted. The next item, reference No. 2009/464, is Europe's World newsletter and it is noted.
The next item, reference No. 2009/465, contains a suggested policy for work schemes. The letter suggests how policy might be adopted to tackle energy and unemployment together. It is from Ms Evelyn Fennelly and Ms Gráinne Sweeney care of Brigidine secondary school, Mountrath, County Laois. We note the correspondence. We will reply to them thanking them for their suggestion and we will take on board their comments. It is a secondary school next door to me at home.
The next item, reference No. 2009/466, is a press release from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government regarding golden eagle chicks hatching in the Glenveagh National Park, County Donegal and is noted. The next item, reference No. 2009/467, is a newsletter on environmental issues from GLOBE and is noted. The next item, reference No. 2009/468, is an invitation to a book launch related to local government from Chambers Ireland and SIPTU. Individual members are free to choose to attend if they so wish. It will be held on Thursday 28 May in Liberty Hall at 6.30 p.m.
The next item, reference No. 2009/469, is a newsletter on homelessness and it is noted. The next item, reference No. 2009/470, is a press release on housing aid for the elderly from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The next item, reference No. 2009/471, is an invitation to the audio visual room on Wednesday 27 May from 2.30 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. for a seminar on opinion polls. Members should attend if they so wish. The next item, reference No. 2009/472, concerns the governance of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority. It is a letter from the Comptroller and Auditor General following a request from the committee to have the accounts of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority examined over a five year period. The Comptroller and Auditor General indicated that the Dublin Docklands Development Authority is not within his audit remit. However, because Deputy Hogan requested the letter we will hold the matter over until the Deputy is present in case he has any comments.
The next item, reference No. 2009/473, concerns the post 1700 built heritage of Ireland. It is a press release from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government on architectural heritage.
The next item, reference No. 2009/474, is a European Water newsletter and it is noted. The next item, reference No. 2009/475, is a European urban knowledge network research on housing. It is a newsletter on urban policy and it is noted.
The next item, reference No. 2009/476, is a letter from the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and follows from correspondence between the committee and the Department related to the European Court of Justice judgment in respect of the Derrybrien wind farm. It is a reply to queries raised by the committee in December 2008 and March 2009. Under the European Court of Justice judgment one cannot apply for retention where developments would have required an environmental impact assessment, EIA, in the first instance. We had been informed that the scale of developments requiring an environmental impact assessment in Ireland is a good deal less than in other EU countries. The committee believed this could possibly disadvantage businesses in Ireland relative to other EU countries. The gist of the Minister's letter indicates the areas requiring an EIA in the UK are a good deal lower than those in Ireland and that he has no plans to change the legislation. That is the Minister's answer on the matter.
The next item, reference No. 2009/477, is a reply to queries raised at the committee re timber policy in Ireland and views on the forest law enforcement, governance and trade directive and it is noted. The next item, reference No. 2009/478, is a report from the Comptroller and Auditor General on the environment fund accounts 2007 from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
Item 478 is the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General on the environment fund 2007, of which I have one copy. The document deals with income realised from the environmental levies on landfill waste and plastic bags, which amounted to approximately €57 million in 2007, and associated expenditure for various waste management and recyling projects throughout the country. The document was signed by Ms Geraldine Tallon, Secretary General of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. It might be useful to have a discussion on this set of accounts and we shall invite Ms Tallon to attend and discuss the operation of the levies on landfill and plastic bags and the categories of expenditure. It is a short set of accounts but would be of interest to us.
The main point about that correspondence to which I wish to draw attention is that Ms Tallon signed off the accounts for the year ended 2007 on 24 February 2009. We wish to see the accounts for 2008 when Ms Tallon comes to the meeting. Even if they are not fully audited she must have a draft set of accounts because those figures are a year and a half old at this stage. We shall arrange a date because that might be a useful session. Is that agreed? Agreed. Members are happy to have a discussion on the environmental fund and there are many interesting issues to examine. We shall arrange that as soon as may be practical during the month of June before the end of this Dáil session.
Item 479 is a request from the Sustainable Energy Association to make a submission. I recommend we pass this correspondence to the Joint Committee on Climate Change and Energy Security. Is that agreed? Agreed.
Item 480 is correspondence on the seven villages water scheme in County Waterford. That matter was raised by Senator Glynn at our last meeting and I asked for the committee to be given a detailed note on it. It was raised as an individual matter when we discussed certain aspects with departmental officials.
That concludes the correspondence.
The committee has received various circulars which have been copied to members who are free to talk about them if they so wish. We may return to them. There are five circulars on litter policy, L1 to L5 2009; LG 5/09 — administrative notes for new councils and councillors; LG 7/09 — corporate governance and tax compliance for public bodies; EL 06/09 — fees for non-executive chairpersons and members of State boards; WPRR 03/09 — waste management (certification of historic unlicensed waste disposal and recovery activity) regulations 2008; HPS 3/2009 — housing (local authority loans) regulations 2009; HPS 4/2009 — housing (local authority loans) regulations 2009 — implementation arrangements. We note all the circulars. Members have had time to look at them and may raise them next week if they so wish.
Members will recall from our meeting with the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland on 17 February 2009 that radon gas posed a serious risk and we considered the possibility of a statutory role for local authorities in monitoring radon and devising a radon protection strategy. It was agreed to write to each local authority for views before making a recommendation to the Minister. Members have seen a detailed and comprehensive list of the replies received to date. Another arrived from Sligo County Council in time for today's meeting. Do members wish to comment on the discussion and responses from local authorities on radon gas or shall we hold that matter over? We shall return to it.
Item 3 on the agenda concerns our discussion at the last meeting of circular EL 5/09 on the incentivised scheme for early retirement. We asked the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Department of Finance for clarification. Has this been circulated to Members? I have not had time to read it. We were concerned at the meeting that one third of the document was about re-engagement of staff in the public service who had availed of this incentive for early retirement. I have not had time to read the response but essentially I understand the Departments have stated this may be permitted but only on an exceptional basis. We shall hold this matter over until the next meeting to allow members to study the two items of correspondence because they have only just arrived. Our legal members have had a chance to read it and wish to comment. I do not believe there is any special import in it.
