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Select Committee on Enterprise and Economic Strategy debate -
Wednesday, 26 Mar 1997

SECTION 38.

Amendments Nos. 29 and 29a are related and both may be taken together.

I move amendment No. 29:

In page 22, between lines 5 and 6, to insert the following subsection:

"(2) The report shall identify the appellants involved and the number, subject matter and results of each appeal determined by the Board during the year to which it relates.".

Section 38 provides for the making of annual reports by the appeals board. This amendment is in response to requests from environmental organisations to make it clear that the full details of all appeals lodged and determined in the year under review are to be included in the annual report of the appeals board.

Amendment No. 29a in my name states that the board "shall each year publish a full annual report detailing decisions made and summarising monitoring, conducting as well as any other matters of relevance". The board should be required to produce a report, given the number and nature of the licences, details of testing and monitoring completed during the year. The board will not be directly involved in monitoring, although this may arise in considering appeals. However, it does not have a function with regard to monitoring.

Section 38 is a standard provision for all bodies of this kind. It provides for the publication of an annual report not later than six months after the end of the financial year, and requires the Minister to cause copies of the report to be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. The additional provision proposed by the amendment is that the report should contain a list of the appeals which were lodged and determined within the year under review. This recommendation was made to me by a number of interests, including An Taisce, and is one which I am happy to accept. While Deputy Molloy is probably attempting to achieve the same objective in his amendment, the board could not be asked to summarise monitoring where it would not have a direct function with regard to monitoring.

I accept the Minister's point, but it would be appropriate if the Bill made provision for an annual report which would detail results of monitoring and other aspects. Perhaps it may be possible to include the intent of my amendment under another section?

We will address the issue of monitoring later when the matter can be considered.

Amendment agreed to.
Amendment No. 29a not moved.
Section 38, as amended, agreed to.
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