Vol. 555 No. 1
147 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Transport the committees, boards, companies or other bodies under the auspices of his Department which were established since 1997 to date otherwise than pursuant to statute or statutory instru ments; if there are proposals to give the body in question a statutory basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17830/02]
The information sought by the Deputy is outlined in this reply. This includes information in relation to the Department of Transport but not in respect of functions transferred from the Department of Public Enterprise to other Departments in June 2002.
The Task Force on Railway Safety was established by the Government on 3 November 1998 to prepare prioritised recommendations to address the issues identified in the 1998 report by independent consultants led by IRMS entitled "A Review of Railway Safety in Ireland".
The inter-departmental committee on the carriage of dangerous goods by rail, established in 1977, is charged with preparing emergency response procedures in the event of an accident involving a train carrying dangerous goods.
The Level Crossing Working Group was established in recognition of the safety risks at road/rail interfaces. The function of the group is to monitor safety performance, identify vulnerable-high risk locations or scenarios and the means for achieving appropriate risk reduction.
The Road Haulage Review Group was established in December 1997 to oversee a review of the sector. The review resulted in the publication of a report entitled "A Strategy for the Successful Development of the Road Haulage Industry".
The Road Haulage Review Implementation Group, consisting of representatives of IBEC, IRHA and the then Department of Public Enterprise, was established in June 1999 to implement the recommendations of the Strategy for the Successful Development of the Road Haulage Industry.
The Programme of Action for the Road Haulage Industry Steering Group was formed to implement the commitments contained in the "Programme of Action for the Road Haulage Industry" and had its first meeting in May 2001. The steering group has taken over the work of the Road Haulage Review Implementation Group.
An assessment panel was established in April this year to evaluate the tenders and make a recommendation to the Minister in relation to the EU public tender process in respect of air services on five PSO routes linking regional airports with Dublin. This was an ad hoc panel established for a specific purpose, which is now complete.
148 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Transport the committees, boards, companies or other bodies under the auspices of his Department which were established since 1997 to date pursuant to statutory instrument; the particulars of the statutory instrument in each case; if there are proposals to have the body in question given a basis in statute as opposed to statutory instrument; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17880/02]
The information sought by the Deputy is as follows. The Railway Procurement Agency was established on a statutory basis by my predecessor on 28 December 2001, pursuant to Statutory Instrument No. 649 of 2001. This Order was made under the Transport (Railway Infrastructure) Act, 2001.
149 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the committees, boards, companies or other bodies under the auspices of his Department which were established since 1997 to date otherwise than pursuant to statute or statutory instruments; if there are proposals to give the body in question a statutory basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17831/02]
The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following tabular statement:
|
Name of Committee, Board, Company or other Body established other than by Statute or Statutory instrument |
Any proposal to establish this Body on a Statutory basis |
|
National Steering Committee on Violence Against Women |
No |
|
Partnership 2000 Expert Working Group on Childcare (1997 to 1999) |
No longer active |
|
Inter-Departmental Committee on Childcare (1999) |
No longer active |
|
Inter-Departmental and Inter-Agency Childcare “Synergies” Group |
No |
|
National Co-ordination Childcare Committee (NCCC) and its sub-groups; – Advisory Group (for children with special requirements and minority ethnic groups including Travellers) to the NCCC; Certifying Bodies Subgroup; Working Group on School Age Childcare |
No |
|
County-City Childcare Committees |
No |
|
Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme Appraisal Committee |
No |
|
Group to examine Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland's Report of 22 March, 2002 |
No |
|
Committee to review the Offences against the State Acts |
No longer active |
|
Consultation team on disability legislation |
No |
|
Monitoring Committee for the Employment of People with Disabilities in the Public Service |
No |
|
Establishment Group for the National Disability Authority |
No longer active |
|
Monitoring Committee on the Implementation of the Recommendations of the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities |
No longer active |
|
Steering Group for the Irish Council of People with Disabilities |
No longer active |
|
Consultative Group on Male/Female Wage Differentials |
No |
|
Equal Opportunities and Social Inclusion Co-ordinating Committee |
No |
|
Technical Advisory Committee to assist in the development of the Equality for Women Measure of the Regional Operational Programmes of the National Development Plan |
No |
|
Project Appraisal Committee to consider project applications submitted under the Equality for Women Measure |
No |
|
Steering Committee on Statistics and Research on Women in Agriculture |
No |
|
Equality Authority |
The Equality Authority was established on a designate basis on 8 March 1999 and, following the implementation of the Employment Equality Act 1998, on a statutory basis on 18 October, 1999 |
|
Working Group on the Review and Improvement of the Maternity Protection Legislation |
No longer active |
|
Working Group to review the Parental Leave Act 1998 |
No longer active |
|
Gender Equality Monitoring Committee |
No longer active |
|
Steering Committee to oversee the Consultation Process leading to the development of the National Plan for Women (2001 2005) |
No longer active |
|
Drug Court Planning Committee |
No longer active |
|
Reception and Integration Agency |
Proposals under examination |
|
National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism |
No |
|
Name of Committee, Board, Company or other Body established other than by Statute or Statutory instrument |
Any proposal to establish this Body on a Statutory basis |
|
Working Group on Equality Proofing |
No |
|
Committee to Monitor and co-ordinate the implementation of the Recommendations of the Task Force on the Travelling Community |
No |
|
National Action Plan against Racism Steering Group |
No |
|
National Anti-Racism Awareness Programme Steering Group |
No |
|
Firearms Legislation Review Group |
No longer active |
|
Prisons Authority Interim Board |
Proposals under examination |
|
Interim Parole Board |
It is proposed that legislation to provide for the Parole Board will be drawn up in due course to take account of the experience gained by the operation of this body on an administrative basis |
|
Inspectorate of Prisons and Places of Detention |
It is proposed that legislation to provide for an Inspectorate of Prisons and Places of Detention will be drawn up in due course to take account of the experience gained by the operation of this body on an administrative basis |
|
National Steering Committee on Deaths in Custody |
No |
|
Independent Monitoring Committee for the Refugee Legal Service |
No |
|
Justice and Equality Sector Steering Group |
No |
|
Justice and Equality Sector Quality Assurance Group |
No longer active |
|
Heads of Associated Offices Group |
No |
|
Policy Planning Research Unit |
No |
|
Communications Steering Group |
No |
|
Performance Management Implementation Group |
No |
|
Human Rights Commission Selection Committee |
No longer active |
|
Commission on Liquor Licensing |
No |
|
Working Group on the Illegal and Harmful Use of the Internet |
No longer active |
|
Review of the Coroner Service |
No longer active |
|
Coroners' Rules Committee |
No |
|
Internet Advisory Board |
No |
|
Interdepartmental Review Group on the Review of the Gaming and Lotteries Acts 1956 to 1986 |
No |
|
Review Group on investment-based naturalisation |
No |
|
Cross-Departmental Group on Immigration |
No |
|
Juvenile Justice Review Group |
No |
|
National Crime Council |
No |
|
Committee to prepare a Report on Garda Overtime as part of the SMI process of reviews of expenditure programmes in the Public Service |
No longer active |
|
Financial Committee to evaluate tenders received for the Second Helicopter being purchased for use by the Garda Síochána |
No longer active |
|
Name of Committee, Board, Company or other Body established other than by Statute or Statutory instrument |
Any proposal to establish this Body on a Statutory basis |
|
Committee to advise on how applications for grant aid to facilitate the installation of Community Based CCTV schemes should be co-ordinated and administered |
No longer active |
|
Garda Síochána Physical Competence Test Review Group |
No longer active |
|
Interdepartmental Committee to oversee, facilitate and assess the contracting out of pilotage and maintenance of the Second Garda Helicopter |
No |
150 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the committees, boards, companies or other bodies under the auspices of his Department which were established since 1997 to date pursuant to statutory instrument; the particulars of the statutory instrument in each case; if there are proposals to have the body in question given a basis in statute as opposed to statutory instrument; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17881/02]
I can inform the Deputy that while no bodies were established under statutory instrument, as provided by the Statutory Instruments Acts, 1947 to 1955, the tribunal of inquiry into complaints concerning some gardaí of the Donegal division and the tribunal inquiring into the facts and circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting of John McCarthy were established by means of instruments under the Tribunal of Inquiry (Evidence) Act, 1921.
Question No. 151 answered with Question No. 36.
