Officials from my Department participate in a range of interdepartmental committees, which are listed in the attached table, together with details of the frequency and location of meetings.
The frequency and location of interdepartmental committees will continue to be determined by the relevant lead Department, each of which will undoubtedly be taking account, in their future planning, of the new context of decentralisation as the programme is rolled out.
As Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, I will be encouraging greater use of video-conferencing and other advanced communications technologies to minimise the need for travel between decentralised locations for physical meetings.
Interdepartmental committees chaired or attended by the Department
Committees
|
Frequency per year
|
Location
|
General Government Task Force on Emergency Planning
|
Monthly
|
Dublin
|
Interdepartmental Working Group on Emergency Planning
|
Monthly
|
Dublin
|
Dublin Metropolitan Emergency Planning Group
|
Three or four
|
Dublin
|
Emergency Services Communications Liaison Group
|
Biannually
|
Dublin
|
Future of Europe Group
|
As required
|
Dublin
|
Interdepartmental Co-ordinating Committee on EU Affairs
|
As decided by the Department of the Taoiseach
|
Dublin
|
Interdepartmental Lisbon Group
|
As decided by the Department of the Taoiseach
|
Dublin
|
EU Cabinet Committee
|
|
|
Oireachtas EU Scrutiny Co-ordinators Group
|
As decided by the Department of Foreign Affairs
|
Dublin
|
Interdepartmental Committee for Co-ordinating the EU Presidency
|
do
|
Dublin
|
EU Presidency Website Officers Group
|
do
|
Dublin
|
Interdepartmental Administrative Planning Group for the EU Presidency
|
do
|
Dublin
|
Interdepartmental North-South Co-ordinators Group
|
Four
|
Dublin
|
High Level Interdepartmental Committee on North-South
|
|
|
Interdepartmental Committee on the National Spatial Strategy
|
Three
|
Dublin
|
Senior Officials Group on Disability
|
As required
|
Dublin
|
High Level European Research Area, ERA, Steering Group reporting to the Interdepartmental Committee on Science & Technology Policy
|
Quarterly
|
Dublin
|
National Steering Committee for the European Year of Education through Sport, EYES
|
Bimonthly
|
Dublin
|
Interdepartmental Committee dealing with the 10th Anniversary of the International Year of the Family 2004
|
Bimonthly
|
Dublin
|
Government Contracts Committee
|
Five
|
Dublin
|
Cross Departmental Climate Team
|
As required
|
Dublin
|
Environment Co-ordinating Committee
|
As required
|
Dublin
|
Strategic management initiative, public service modernisation and customer service
|
|
|
Quality Customer Service Working Group
|
As decided by the Department of the Taoiseach
|
Dublin
|
Quality Customer Service Officers Network
|
As decided by the Department of the Taoiseach
|
Dublin
|
Interdepartmental Working Group on Freedom of Information
|
Four or five
|
Dublin
|
Freedom of Information — Civil Service Users Network
|
Four or five
|
Dublin
|
SMI Assistant Secretaries Implementation Group
|
As required
|
Dublin
|
Committee for Public Management Research
|
do
|
Dublin
|
Organisational Development Initiatives Forum
|
do
|
Dublin
|
Interdepartmental PMDS Network Group
|
do
|
Dublin
|
Interdepartmental Trainers Network
|
do
|
Dublin
|
Change Management Forum
|
do
|
Dublin
|
Change Management Network
|
As decided by the Department of the Taoiseach
|
Dublin
|
Organisation Development Network
|
As decided by the Department of Finance
|
Dublin
|
Departmental Liaison Officers Group on Sustaining Progress
|
Quarterly
|
Dublin
|
Interdepartmental Co-ordinating Committee on State Aid
|
Quarterly
|
Dublin
|
Departmental Liaisons Officers Group on Decentralisation
|
As required
|
Dublin
|
Finance, Management Information Framework and Regulatory Reform
|
|
|
NDP 2000-2006: South and East Regional Operational Programme Monitoring Committee
|
Biannual
|
Waterford
|
NDP 2000-2006: Border Midlands and West Regional Operational Programme Monitoring Committee
|
Biannual
|
Alternates between BMW and S& E regions. Exact venue changes on each occasion
|
NDP 2000-2006: Productive Sector Operational Programme Monitoring Committee
|
Biannual
|
Dublin
|
NDP 2000-2006: Economic and Social Infrastructure Operational Programme Monitoring Committee
|
Biannual
|
Venue changes on each occasion
|
NDP 2000-2006: NDP-CSF Regional Assembly Monitoring Committee
|
Biannual
|
Dublin
|
NDP 2000-2006: Co-ordinating Equal Opportunities and Social Inclusion Committee
|
|
Dublin
|
NDP Communications Co-ordinating Group
|
Dependent on level of activity — at present meeting once a month
|
Monaghan
|
INTERREG IIIA: multilateral meetings
|
Dependent on level of activity — at present meeting once a month
|
Monaghan
|
INTERREG IIIA: steering committee meetings
|
Biannual
|
Monaghan
|
INTERREG IIIA: monitoring committee meetings
|
Biannual
|
|
The Expenditure Reviewers Network
|
Three
|
Dublin
|
Financial Management Subgroup of the Implementation Group of Secretaries General
|
Four
|
Dublin
|
European Agriculture Guarantee and Guidance Fund, EAGGF, High Level Accreditation Group
|
Monthly
|
Dublin
|
Heads of Internal Audit Forum
|
Monthly
|
Dublin
|
Protocol on Internal Audit Units
|
Two or three
|
Dublin
|
Loughs Agency — Finance & Audit Committee
|
Two or three
|
Derry
|
Communications
|
|
|
Government Liaison Committee for the Digital Hub
|
Monthly
|
Dublin
|
Assistant Secretary Group on the Information Society
|
Monthly
|
Dublin
|
International Connectivity Project Steering Committee
|
Monthly
|
Dublin
|
Interdepartmental Task Force on Biometrics
|
Monthly
|
Dublin
|
Working group on Schools Broadband
|
Monthly
|
Dublin
|
Schools Broadband Access Programme — Industry-Government Steering Group
|
Monthly
|
Dublin
|
Steering Committee on International Connectivity
|
Quarterly
|
Dublin
|
Broadband Expert Group
|
Bimonthly
|
Dublin
|
Management Services Entity Project Board
|
Monthly
|
Dublin
|
Steering Committee on Management Services Entity
|
Frequently
|
|
Committee of Regional Project Managers on MANs
|
Monthly
|
Dublin
|
Subcommittee of Cabinet Subcommittees
|
Monthly
|
Dublin
|
Telecoms Strategy Group
|
Monthly
|
Dublin
|
Cabinet subcommittee on the Information Society
|
Bimonthly
|
Dublin
|
Information Society Commission subcommittee on Telecommunications Infrastructure
|
Monthly
|
Dublin
|
Cabinet subcommittee on Housing, Infrastructure and Public-Private Partnerships
|
Bimonthly
|
Dublin
|
National Centre for Technology in Education Board
|
Monthly
|
Dublin
|
Interdepartmental Committee on E-Payments
|
|
|
Marine Maritime Security Group
|
As required
|
Dublin
|
Integrated Transport Group
|
As required
|
Dublin
|
Expert working group to review the employers of seafarer’s PRSI Refund Scheme
|
Regularly
|
Dublin
|
The Water Framework Directive Co-ordination Group
|
Quarterly
|
Dublin
|
The Irish Fish Health Advisory Committee
|
Three or four
|
Dublin
|
Seed Mussel Assessment Committee, Seasonal — Summer
|
10
|
Dublin
|
Aquaculture Projects Approvals-Selection Board
|
Two or three
|
Dublin
|
Innovation & Sustainability Projects Approvals Board
|
One or two
|
Dublin
|
Processing Investment Projects Approvals Board
|
One or two
|
Rotating BMW and S & E
|
Monitoring Committee for Productive Sector Operational Programme
|
Two
|
Rotating BMW and S & E
|
Monitoring Committee for Employment & Human Resource OP
|
Two
|
Rotating BMW and S & E
|
Monitoring Committee for Border, Midland and Regional OP
|
Two
|
Rotating BMW and S & E
|
Monitoring Committee for Southern & Eastern Regional OP
|
Two
|
Rotating in S & E area
|
The Productive Sector Operational Programme Monitoring Committee
|
Two or three
|
Dublin
|
Sub-Group of the Cross departmental Team on Infrastructure and PPPs,
|
One
|
Dublin
|
Economic and Social Infrastructure Operation Programme 2000-2006.
|
Two
|
Dublin
|
Irish Marine Search and Rescue Committee, IMSARC
|
Three
|
Biannually in Dublin and once in a variable location outside Dublin
|
Marine Emergency Advisory Group, MEAG
|
Biannually
|
Dublin
|
Marine Safety Working Group, MSWG
|
Four or five
|
Dublin
|
Helicopter Contract Group
|
As the need arises
|
Dublin
|
IRCG Building Programme Group
|
Monthly
|
Dublin
|
Aviation Forum
|
Biannually
|
Various locations
|
TETRA Group
|
|
|
National Co-ordinating Committee for Mountain and Cave Rescue
|
Biannually
|
Dublin
|
North West Helicopter SLA Group
|
Periodically
|
Dublin
|
Marine Pollution Response Team
|
Biannually
|
Dublin
|
Energy
|
|
|
Emissions Trading Interdepartmental Steering Group
|
Ad hoc
|
Dublin
|
Sub Group of the Cross Departmental Team on Housing, Infrastructure and Public Private Partnerships on Wider Energy Issues
|
Ad hoc
|
Dublin
|
The Green Tax Group
|
Ad hoc
|
Dublin
|
North South High Level Group
|
Four
|
Dublin
|
Legal Issues Group, LIG
|
12
|
Dublin
|
Interdepartmental Committee on the EU Buildings Directive
|
Three
|
Dublin
|
Emissions Trading Advisory Group
|
Monthly
|
Dublin
|
CHP Policy Group
|
Monthly
|
Dublin
|
Bio-energy Strategy Group
|
Monthly
|
Dublin
|
Negotiated Agreements Sub-group
|
Periodically
|
Dublin
|
Economic Analysis sub-group on Emissions Trading
|
Periodically
|
Dublin
|
Industry and Climate Change Working Group
|
Periodically
|
Dublin
|
Renewable Development Group
|
Monthly
|
Dublin
|
Interreg IIIA Multilateral Meeting Group
|
Monthly
|
Dublin
|
ESIOP Monitoring Committee
|
Monthly
|
Dublin
|
Geological Survey Ireland
|
|
|
GSI Consultative Committee
|
Biannually
|
Dublin
|
Seabed Project Steering Group
|
Monthly
|
Dublin
|
Seabed Project Technical Advisory Committee
|
Three
|
Dublin
|
Interdepartmental Technical Divisions Group
|
Three
|
Dublin
|