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JOINT COMMITTEE ON THE ENVIRONMENT, HERITAGE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 23 Sep 2008

Business of Joint Committee.

An item has been brought to my notice by a number of sources and I do not know what we can do about it. As a committee concerned with the environment, we should examine it at the very least. Newspaper producers send mass bundles of newspapers, without a demand, to newsagents throughout the country and a number of newsagents have requested me to see whether I can do something about it. I feel at a loss. It is true that newsagents can get a refund on any newspapers not sold by returning the bar codes. However, newsagents are left with bundles of unsold newspapers which must be disposed of. This is happening throughout the country. Will the committee engage with the industry or write to it for a response? This practice should not go on, especially in this day and age with climate change, reuse and recycling. Is there an avenue the committee can explore?

Do newsagents not order a certain number of newspapers?

The newsagents tell me that they give their numbers to the suppliers and these are far less than what they receive. They have no control over how many newspapers the suppliers send to them. Like the Chairman, I was surprised to hear about this. I would have thought they would place an order and this would be what they receive. However, they receive far in excess of it and cannot stop it. It is crazy.

There is an association for national newspapers.

Can we write to it and invite it to provide an explanation?

Yes we will. We will write and ask its delivery policy.

We should also ask about the recoupment process. Senator Coffey is correct as the difficulty is that newsagents are left with everything except the banner headline which is returned. The weight of the problem literally is left with the newsagents.

We will ask and see where it leads.

I thank the Chairman.

I wish to raise two items. Is it possible that any directives or circular letters issued by the Minister or the Ministers of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government would be issued to us as correspondence? There is a certain relevance to the matters discussed here. I note a circular letter was issued recently to local authorities with regard to a 3% budget cutback. We should have received a copy of this letter. I do not mean general correspondence between county managers and Ministers. Circular letters and directives which are posted on the website should be part of the committee's correspondence because they affect the day-to-day operation of Government at a macro level.

Members receive statutory instruments.

Yes, but this is with regard to circular letters and directives.

We will ask the Department for a copy of circulars. Normally, they are numbered and are referred to by a reference number.

Not individual letters.

It saves a great deal of chasing up afterwards. I understand the Private Residential Tenancies Board is undertaking a review. The Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill is due before the Houses in the next term. In that context, I ask that we invite the PRTB to appear before the committee some time between now and Christmas.

That is fine, although the Committee of Public Accounts has had three or four meetings with the PRTB already. However, I am sure there will be other angles to investigate.

There are particular issues to do with housing that need examination. Ultimately, the PRTB is an agency, even though it has public accounts responsibilities. It operates directly under the auspices of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. It is coming up for review, part of which may indicate legislative change. In that context, we have a particular responsibility to meet it.

We will issue an invitation.

The joint committee adjourned at 4.05 p.m. until 2.45 p.m. on Tuesday, 7 October 2008.
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