Apologies have been received from the Chairman, Deputy Seán Fleming. The minutes of the meeting of 10 February 2009 have been circulated. Are they agreed?
Business of Joint Committee.
No. 5 relates to the report on the Dublin Docklands Development Authority. Several queries were put to Mr. Maloney, CEO of the DDDA, and he undertook to come back to the committee with answers. Has he done so to date?
He has not come back to us yet.
Now that Anglo Irish Bank has been nationalised, is it possible to bring its directors before the committee to discuss its financial arrangements and relationship with the Dublin Docklands Development Authority? The meeting should focus on the directors' views on the huge financial exposure of the Irish taxpayer relating to the Irish Glass Bottle Company site.
There is no difficulty in asking but it may be more appropriate to the Committee of Public Accounts than to this committee.
The first item of correspondence is 243/2009, a newsletter on environmental issues, which is noted. No. 344 relates to the European Water Newsletter, which is also noted. No. 345 is a circular on the subvention of the operating costs of recycling facilities, which is also noted.
No. 346 is a newsletter on environmental issues, which is noted. No. 347 is a letter from Deputy Lucinda Creighton, posted with the agenda. It requests that the joint committee investigate the planning department at Dublin City Council with regard to a decision on the former Jury's Hotel site in Dublin 4. We could send a letter to the city manager if members wish.
The Deputy requests an investigation by the Joint Committee on the Environment, Heritage and Local Government into a decision by Dublin City Council. Is there a precedent for such an investigation? If it is in our remit——
I am not aware of such an investigation being carried out in my time. The Minister is precluded from commenting under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 but we could send a letter. Is that agreed? Agreed.
No. 348 is a landfill planning application, posted by Mr. Martin Miley junior. The letter requests that the joint committee investigate the cost to the taxpayer of a planning case before the High Court. The Chairman has held a meeting with Mr. Miley so we will defer the matter until he is present.
No. 349 is an invitation to the world water forum, Istanbul, from 18-20 March 2009, from the interparliamentary section in Leinster House. The dates may clash with members' commitments for St. Patrick's Day. Do members wish to go? Is it agreed that we do not attend? Agreed.
No. 350 is a press release regarding a shipwreck inventory of Ireland centring on the counties of Dublin, Louth, Meath and Wicklow. It was e-mailed by the press office of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and is noted.
No. 351 concerns spending limits at local elections, which is also from the press office of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and is noted. No. 352 is a press release relating to the world's largest wooden building, a six-storey timber-framed house in Canada, which is noted.
The next item, 2009/353, comprises a number of circulars: Guidance for Returning Officers at local elections and European elections; E-voting machines (Storage, storage costs, insurance); Register of Electors Statistics; Exchange of information on new European electors; Local Electoral Area Maps. We will note the correspondence. The next item, 2009/354, is Local Electoral Areas Orders 2009. We will note it. That completes No. 2 on the agenda.
No. 3 on the agenda is the 2007 annual report and accounts of the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland.