Vol. 557 No. 1
338 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the number of lobby groups or public relations firms he or his Department has met with to discuss issues of impending legislation since the formation of the Government; the issues on which they lobbied; if this resulted in changes or amendments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21648/02]
Since the formation of the present Government, the provisions of the Arts Bill have been discussed at meetings that I have had with the traditional music archive and the Arts Council. I have also engaged in formal and informal discussions on the Bill with various parliamentary colleagues. The discussions dealt in the main with arrangements for the support of Irish traditional arts. I am reflecting on the issues put to me at these meetings and will decide on them in conjunction with the Committee Stage debate on the Bill.
I also met a delegation from SIPTU and the NUJ to discuss staff concerns in connection with the planned merger of Bord Fáilte and CERT. I intend to seek Government approval shortly for the publication of the National Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2002, which will give statutory effect to the merger.
