Léim ar aghaidh chuig an bpríomhábhar
Gnáthamharc

JOINT COMMITTEE ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENERGY SECURITY díospóireacht -
Thursday, 28 Feb 2008

Business of Joint Committee.

I wish to get through the preliminary matters before we invite in the Minister. No. 1 is the minutes of the meeting of 20 February, which have been circulated. Are the minutes agreed? Agreed.

I will move on to correspondence. There are not many members here. A photograph will need to be taken of all committee members for the annual Oireachtas report for 2008. Some members may be involved in this in other committees of which they are members. This was done yesterday in the Select Committee on Finance and the Public Service. Our next ordinary meeting is next Wednesday at 2 p.m. Would it be possible to meet for the photograph at 1.45 p.m.? Will Deputy Fitzpatrick be here next Wednesday?

Are we not away on 5 March?

No, that is the week after Easter.

Would that be suitable for those of us who are present? I will mention it to the others at the conclusion of the meeting. We will set it for 1.45 p.m. next Wednesday. I would appreciate members' co-operation in attending.

The next item is a speech made by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy John Gormley, on 18 February at the European Commission seminar entitled The EU and Climate Change. Is it agreed to note this correspondence, which has been circulated? Agreed.

The next item is the February newsletter of the European Parliament Temporary Committee on Climate Change. Is that noted? Noted.

The next item is a letter to the committee from Mr. Michael O'Brien, senior engineer at the environment department of Cork City Council, enclosing a list of innovative energy schemes undertaken by the council. The letter also invites the committee to visit the flagship Lifetime Lab project when it is next in Cork and to receive a detailed presentation on the innovative environmental schemes. Is that noted? When we are going to Cork, we will certainly take up that kind invitation.

The next item is a policy brief on energy and climate change dated February 2008 from the Institute of International and European Affairs. Is that noted? Noted. Next is an e-mail from the Association of European Parliamentarians for Africa to a meeting on 5 March at 7 p.m. The subject is "What does climate change mean for Africa?". Any members who are available to attend, please note this information.

Is it not important that we designate two or three people to be there?

I presume the Deputy will be there.

What time is it at?

It is at 7 p.m. next Wednesday. I think the Department of Foreign Affairs organised it.

I should bring to the committee's attention that on the same day at 2 p.m. Trócaire is having a round-table discussion on climate change in the Alexander Hotel, which I imagine would be on a similar theme.

I got the same invitation and I told Trócaire that, unfortunately, the committee was due to meet.

Yes, it clashes with our meeting. The EPA is coming in next week to finish off its presentation. Unfortunately, I had to send my apologies. Is this item agreed? Agreed.

A reply has been circulated from the Taoiseach's office to a letter I wrote to him on the committee's behalf inviting him to attend the committee if it was suitable. He has replied saying that he will certainly keep in touch, but as chairman of the relevant Cabinet sub-committee he is kept informed by various Ministers who come here. Perhaps when we have finished with all the Ministers we might re-issue the invitation. In fairness to the Taoiseach, when I raised in the Dáil on a Tuesday the fact that there was such a long delay in the appointment of a clerk to this committee, I got a phone call from the Taoiseach's Department on the Friday telling me that the clerk would be available the following Monday. I thank the Taoiseach for intervening. He sorted out some misunderstandings. That is a diplomatic way of putting it. That correspondence is noted.

That completes the ordinary items. If the Minister is available we will invite him in. While we are waiting for the Minister, I would like to hear members' opinions. Our next meeting is on 5 March. We have our ordinary meetings every two weeks, but two weeks from that date is 19 March, which is in the week of St. Patrick's Day. I believe the Dáil is in recess that week. It is also Holy Week. If we break the fortnightly schedule, we will have to mess around with rooms and so on. We could go ahead, hold our meeting and do some minor work, although not everybody may be able to attend.

Are we talking about the 19 March? That is fine.

Shall we proceed on that basis?

Thank you.

Barr
Roinn