JOINT COMMITTEE ON COMMUNICATIONS, MARINE AND NATURAL RESOURCES díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 27 May 2003

Vol. 1 No. 12

Scrutiny of EU Proposals.

Chairman

The Clerk has circulated COM 2003/63, a proposal for regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council, establishing the European network and information security agency. Is it agreed to scrutinise this matter? Agreed.

The Clerk has also circulated COM2003/92 - a proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on ship source pollution and the introduction of sanctions, including criminal sanctions, for pollution offences. Is it agreed to scrutinise this matter? Agreed.

I propose an amendment to the terms of reference of the ICT sub-committee. The terms of reference of the ICT sub-committee requires that it report to the joint committee within three months on any matter referred to it. On 12 February, the joint committee referred two motions on broadband to the ICT sub-committee. In accordance with the terms of reference, the ICT sub-committee should have reported to the joint committee on 12 May. However, due to the requirement of the select committee to consider the Fisheries (Amendment) Bill and the Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, there will be a delay in the ICT sub-committee completing its work. Accordingly, the terms of reference of the ICT sub-committee should be amended so that it is required to report to the joint committee as soon as is practical on any motion that is referred to it. Is that agreed? Agreed.

At the last joint committee meeting, it was agreed to invite a mobile telephone operator to make a presentation to the committee on this issue of roaming charges, as raised in correspondence by Deputy Costello. Considering the recent press reports of the profits earned by mobile telephone operators on the domestic market, may I have the permission of the committee to extend the remit of this invitation so that all mobile telephone charges are considered? Agreed.

I requested the Clerk to attend the COFORD conference on forestry planning, policy and practice in Tullamore last Friday. Notice of this conference, the theme of which was sustainable forest design, was received very late. If any member requires information he or she should contact the Clerk.

I advise members that we need to set aside time to invite representatives of RTE and the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland to appear before the committee before the end of this Dáil session and that we have to take Estimates for the Department. We have already discussed telecoms. Juggling with the ICT sub-committee, we have two days earmarked for next week. Again, because of the pressure of business, we will have to allow the Clerk to fit in those times before the recess. Although the recess begins on 3 July, I presume some of the members will be available to attend committees until the end of July.

Deputy Eamon Ryan

With regard to the latter point, I hope we might be able to get our business finished by the middle of July. Certain Deputies might have a week or so afterwards for tying up loose ends.

I know the Clerk has a lot of difficulty in terms of getting slots and speaking time, given our very extensive agenda. We have to deal with a lot of ICT sub-committee meetings and broadcasting issues. Perhaps this is something about which we could apply some pressure. I have had some dealings with the transport committee, which seems to have been holding two or three meetings a week in the past three or four weeks - it has another two meetings this week and had three last week in early morning slots. Are we applying enough political pressure to get the necessary slots, given the constraints that exist in terms of meeting facilities and backup? Certain committees seem to hold many meetings. Is there anything we can do, in terms of raising the importance of the broadcasting and ICT areas for which we are responsible, to make sure we get the necessary slots?

Chairman

I remind members that we have had 13 meetings of the joint committee since we started and four meetings of the ICT sub-committee as well as the select committees to discuss Bills.

Deputy Eamon Ryan

I did not mean my comment as a criticism. If we are having difficulty booking slots, we could apply certain pressure on the basis of the importance of our agenda, particularly in terms of broadcasting and ICT, for which we have time deadlines. If we do not finish on time——

Chairman

We will see what arrangements we can make. I know there is tremendous pressure on the Clerk - I do not know how many staff he has available on a full-time basis, but I suspect very few, if any. I know Senator O'Meara will have something to say in a minute, but we will aim to finish our programme and complete the targets we set for ourselves. I know there are other modules with which we want to deal in September. The extra burden on us is because of the ICT sub-committee.

Senator O’Meara

We have not considered the natural resources module at all. I have written to the Chairman about this matter because there is a particular issue I want raised under this module. I take it we will not reach that this session.

Chairman

Absolutely not.

Senator O’Meara

I ask the Chairman to put the matter on the agenda to be dealt with as early as possible in the autumn.

Chairman

Absolutely; it is down already.

Senator O’Meara

I take it we will reconvene in September.

Chairman

Yes.

Senator Kenneally

I agree we should try to complete our work, if at all possible, by the middle of July. If that means extra meetings, so be it. The Chairman mentioned two meetings next week. Could he tell us when it is proposed——

Chairman

They are meetings of the ICT sub-committee and will be held on Wednesday and Thursday of next week - two full days, 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. each day. The Senator was unavoidably absent for the meeting of the sub-committee.

Senator Kenneally

I had to leave as we had a vote.

Chairman

The ICT sub-committee met and introduced the consultant, who is working on the brief we have given him. The committee has agreed to finish its ICT work programme in four full days - two next week when the Dáil is not sitting, and two other days dates which have to be finalised and for which we need to have facilities made available to us. I am not anxious to put too much pressure on members because I am aware of the tremendous workload each of us carry as Members of the Houses.

Deputy Coveney

Could we have an update on our work programme between now and Christmas? I know we will have gone over time on some of the modules. Everybody should be clear on what is happening between now and Christmas and if they are not happy with that, they have an opportunity now to give the Clerk time to make adjustments, if required. There are effectively three Departments within the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, but the natural resources side of things has not been even considered yet, and there is a whole range of marine issues, apart from fisheries - which we have considered in some detail - which we also should be considering. These relate to marine safety and so on. If we could have this update for the next meeting, we could outline the areas we plan on covering between now and next Christmas. That would be useful.

Chairman

Would it be helpful if the Clerk circulated the work programme again in the next week, highlighting the work in progress and the work that is finished?

Deputy Coveney

I would be happy with that. We could then consider at the next meeting whether we want to change anything.

Chairman

If we want to change things, depending on their importance, we can do that.

The joint committee went into private session at 3.17 p.m and adjourned at 3.55 p.m. sine die.