Joint Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 2 Dec 2015

Decisions on Public Petitions Received

Chairman

As always, we have deliberated on the five petitions before us today in private session and we will record in public session the decisions of the committee. Our committee has received a total of 153 petitions to date since the launch of this petitions system. The secretariat has been examining them to establish admissibility of the petitions and how best to progress them. Of the 153, 137 petitions have been brought before the committee on at least one occasion. Of these, 77 were considered, agreed upon and closed, 44 were deemed inadmissible, and 36 are awaiting decision or still under consideration.

There are five petitions before us today. The first is petition No. P00026/14, which relates to civil rights for civil servants, from Mr. Tom Geraghty. We have deliberated on this and we have agreed to correspond with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, seeking clarification on whether he believes legislation might be required with regard to the response received from the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission and with reference to Article 16.1.1° of the Constitution. We will correspond with the Minister on that. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Deputy Michelle Mulherin

This is a very interesting one as so many people are affected. It is clear in the Constitution so it will be interesting to see on what statutory basis the Minister holds a position. We could be breaking new ground.

Chairman

It is certainly a very interesting petition. We will correspond with the Minister, seeking clarification on whether legislation is required.

The next is petition No. P00006/15, that Ireland should join the Antarctic treaty, from Ms Rose Waldron. We have agreed to refer this petition to the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade for examination, report back and write to the petitioner, advising of the committee decision. We have agreed to correspond with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Department to ask why there would be significant administrative costs associated with Ireland's accession. Notwithstanding this position, the committee has requested that the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade reopen the interdepartmental discussions of 2009 to 2011 and explore further options associated with joining the Antarctic treaty, such as non-consultative membership. Is that agreed? Agreed.

The next petition is No. P00017/15, a citizenship matter from Mr. Jacob Owowdunni. Unfortunately, as it a personal matter, it must be deemed inadmissible, as we have no room in Standing Orders to address anything of a personal nature.

Petition No. P00024/15, which argues that Ireland should join the EU Schengen area, is from Mr. Daniel Haden. After deliberating on this petition, we have agreed to write to the Department of Justice and Equality and the Minister to ask that they outline, particularly in the context of the debate surrounding a possible British exit from the EU, the reasons Ireland did not sign up to the Schengen area in the first place. Given the developments in the UK relating to the referendum, we will ask if the Department has any intention of revisiting the decision not to sign up to the agreement. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Petition No. P00019/15 deals with an amendment to the Garda Síochána Act 2005 from Mr. Christopher Galligan. We corresponded with the Department of Justice and Equality, raising the request that the Act be amended. The Department has responded and our committee considers the response to be reasonable. We will send the response to the petitioner and close the petition. Is that agreed? Agreed.

The joint committee adjourned at 4.50 p.m. until 4 p.m. on Wednesday, 9 December 2015.