This is a Seanad Bill which has been amended by the Dáil. In accordance with Standing Order 103, it is deemed to have passed First, Second and Third Stages in the Seanad and is placed on the Order Paper for Report Stage. On the question "That the Bill be received for final consideration", the Minister may explain the purpose of the amendments made by the Dáil. This is looked upon as the report of the Dáil amendments to the Seanad. The only matters, therefore, which may be discussed are the amendments made by the Dáil. For Senators' convenience, I have arranged for the printing and circulation of the amendments. Senators may speak only once on Report Stage.
Digital Hub Development Agency Bill 2002 [ Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil ] : Report and Final Stages.
Question proposed: "That the Bill be received for final consideration."
The Dáil has made a number of amendments to this Bill, which was passed by the Seanad last December. Amendment No. 1 requires the agency to include, as part of its development plan, indicative targets for numbers in employment in digital media enterprises in the area of the hub. It was made in response to an amendment put down by Deputy Coveney on Committee Stage in the Dáil and following a commitment I made to him to review it.
Amendment No. 2 inserts a new provision to section 12. It requires that any directives given by the Minister to the agency be laid before each House of the Oireachtas. In addition, a notice that a directive has been given will be published in Iris Oifigiúil within 28 days. I am satisfied that this amendment provides considerable transparency with regard to the way the Minister communicates with the agency and, furthermore, that it takes into consideration concerns raised with regard to this issue by Deputies Broughan and Coveney.
Amendment No. 3 provides for a representative of the local community to be appointed to the board. In the course of the debate on the Bill, a number of concerns were raised regarding the representation of local interests. In response to these, and to ensure that the interests of all stakeholders are fully represented, this provision has been inserted.
Following the discussion of issues raised by Deputy Coveney, amendment No. 4 has increased from €2,000 to €3,000 the amount of the fine applicable to a person who, on summary conviction, is found guilty of an offence by contravening section 27(1). Having sought advice on the matter, I have been informed that this is the upper limit allowable.
With regard to amendments Nos. 5 and 6, I also presented an amendment relating to section 26(8) of the Communications Regulation Act 2002, which will enable the application to Ms Etaine Doyle, Chairman of the Commission for Communications Regulation, of standard severance arrangements applicable to chief executive officers of State companies, that is, payment of pension at age 55 years or of an actuarially reduced pension at an earlier age. The current statutory provision in the Communications Regulation Act freezes the chairman's pension until she reaches 60 years of age. It was intended to address this matter in the Act, but it did not prove possible to reach agreement on the matter across Departments before the legislation was enacted.
My party has supported the passage of this Bill through both Houses. We trust that business will grow and prosper following the establishment of the agency. We are pleased that some of the amendments referred to by the Minister were introduced in response to proposals made by other members of my party. We especially welcome amendment No. 3, which allows for representation on the board by a member of the local community. That will be of great benefit and will give ownership of the agency and the hub to local people. I commend the Minister for accepting this proposal.
Perhaps the Government might also consider the establishment of a fund to support the businesses who are setting up in the hub with the help of the agency, especially with regard to escalating costs, including insurance costs, which could hinder their development. We accept these amendments and commend the Bill.
I welcome these amendments. Members of both Houses have worked together through the various Stages to try to make the Bill as comprehensive as possible.
I am especially pleased that section 15 has been amended to provide that a representative of the local community will be included on the board of the agency. I referred to this on Second Stage, having gone to see what was happening on the ground. Too often, action is taken in the absence of local community involvement. The move to make facilities available to the community in that area of Dublin is to be commended. It was ridiculous not to include a local representative on the body which is why I welcome the new provision. I commend the Bill to the House and I thank the Minister and all involved for their support of the measures it entails.
Question put and agreed to.
Question proposed: "That the Bill do now pass."
I thank Senators for their Report Stage contributions and for the constructive arguments they put forward when the Bill came before the Seanad in December. The Bill was examined at considerable length by the Dáil where, with all due respect, debate was informed by previous discussion of the legislation in this House. Many of the amendments discussed in the Dáil originated with Senators, whom I thank for their input.
I wish the digital hub well under the auspices of the new agency. As Senators know, the agency is up and running and has been a very great success. I congratulate my predecessor in office who was involved in the establishment of this concept originally. I am coming to the fact that it was Senator O'Rourke.
The Minister is taking his time.
I was working my way around to it. I thank her and I know she would like me to thank the officials who have slaved over this legislation. I thank also the members of the board of Digital Media Development Limited who put in the considerable time and work needed to get this up and running. They oversaw the investment of a huge amount of taxpayers' resources in this facility and took a great deal of care over the birthing of this project. I thank the officials of the Seanad for the help they gave us in putting this Bill through the House. This useful legislation will provide a fine template for subsequent Bills in this area.
A number of very innovative companies are operating at the digital hub, which I visited recently. I have been there often lately and each time I visit I see a change in the physical structure and in the complement of workers. As the saying goes, there is a lot more to be done and I look forward to seeing the hub develop into the future.
Question put and agreed to.