JOINT COMMITTEE ON THE ENVIRONMENT, HERITAGE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT díospóireacht

Chairman

The minutes of the committee's meeting of 9 June last have been circulated. Are they agreed? Agreed.

The first item of correspondence is a newsletter, Europe’s World. We can note that.

The next item of correspondence is an invitation to a day of celebration to mark the 20th anniversary of the opening of the bird sanctuary and conservation centre at Castle Espie wetland centre in County Down. If members are interested in attending that event, they should advise the clerk. The matter is noted.

The next item of correspondence is a Globe International newsletter. We note that.

The next item of correspondence is a communication from the European Commission, seeking Ireland's views on the management of biowaste. Perhaps we should invite departmental officials to address the committee on the matter before we frame our response. The correspondence in question, which was sent to the committee by the Joint Committee on European Affairs, relates to the proposed EU document on sufficient environmental oversight of biowaste. Perhaps we should ask the Department to send us a briefing note before we decide whether we need to discuss it further. Is that agreed? Agreed.

The next item of correspondence is the weekly newsletter from the Oireachtas permanent representative at the EU.

The next item of correspondence is a letter from the Wild Deer Association of Ireland, acknowledging its recent meeting with the committee and suggesting that we should meet representatives of Coillte and the National Parks and Wildlife Service. As the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2010 has now been finalised, we can note the letter and move on.

The next item of correspondence is a letter from Irish Business Against Litter acknowledging its recent meeting with the joint committee. A further group, Food and Drink Industry Ireland, which is a business sector of IBEC, has sent us a letter commenting on the transcript of the meeting. I suggest we note all of that and come back to it when we discuss the issue of litter at a later date.

The next item of correspondence is the newsletter of the Irish Property Owners Association. We note that.

The next item of correspondence is a collection of replies from Kilkenny County Council, Galway County Council, Wicklow County Council, Clare County Council, Limerick County Council, Waterford County Council, South Tipperary County Council, Cork City Council and Mayo County Council to the committee's queries regarding the financial ability of local authorities to implement the water services investment programme. Some of the programme, which was announced by the Department a month or two ago, has to be financed by local authorities through development levies. At Deputy Hogan's request, we wrote to each local authority to ask if it has sufficient resources to provide matching funding under the water services investment programme. We will wait until we have received all of the replies before we draw any conclusions on the matter. We have received some replies and expect to receive more replies as the weeks progress. We will note the replies we have received.

The next item of correspondence is an information note we were sent following our meeting with the National Council for the Blind of Ireland on environmental issues of concern. We will note that.

The next item of correspondence is a request from the Irish Tyre Industry Association for a meeting with the joint committee to discuss a producer responsibility initiative for the disposal of tyres. The association is concerned about the arrangements for tyre recycling activity compliance schemes. It registers 90% of all tyres that are imported into the country. It feels that the lack of enforcement in this area is causing difficulties for those who comply with the law. We will put it on our list of matters to be considered. The association is seeking an opportunity to attend a meeting of the committee to discuss waste disposal issues in the tyre industry. I suggest we should hold it over for the moment. There might be something in it and there might not.

Deputy Michael Fitzpatrick

There is a serious problem with the illegal disposal of tyres. I am aware of an area where tyres are being burned on a regular basis. No action appears to be taken by local authorities or the Garda to stop this activity. The Chairman is talking about legal operators. I would like to know how many legal operators are operating in each local authority area. Perhaps we can build up a dossier on where the tyres are going and where they are coming from.

Chairman

The Irish Tyre Industry Association has pointed out that two years after the Minister's decision to approve a compliance scheme with regard to waste tyres, there is no enforcement on the part of local authorities. It notes that following an embarrassing episode of "Prime Time Investigates" on 22 May last, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has set as an objective the introduction of a full producer responsibility initiative, like the waste electrical and electronic equipment initiative, in this area. The association argues that such an initiative would cause the industry to incur additional costs. I suggest that we send the letter to the Department and ask the Minister to comment on it. Perhaps, after the Department has responded to the association's points, we can decide whether to invite representatives of the association to attend a meeting of the committee. The association is worried about the imposition of additional costs on the industry. We all know that tyres have to be disposed of properly. It is not something we can ignore. I suggest that we write to the Department and ask for a detailed response from the Minister. We can consider the matter when that response has been received.

Deputy Michael Fitzpatrick

Does the Chairman know whether garages charge a fee for the disposal of tyres? When one buys four new tyres, does one incur a built-in charge to cover the cost of disposing of the four old tyres?

Chairman

Such an arrangement does not exist at the moment. It is being proposed by the Department. The association believes it would lead to additional costs being encountered by the industry. It is probably concerned that some people will operate in the black economy, at a cost to legitimate traders. We will ask for a detailed response from the Department and consider it when it has been received. Is that agreed? Agreed.

The next item of correspondence is a request from Deputy Sheahan that a constituent of his be invited to address the committee to discuss hydro-cell cars. Members will have seen a leaflet promoting the product in question. I suggest that we should note the request for further reference. We cannot give individual businesses or companies an opportunity to promote their products, to the exclusion of other products. We will note that correspondence for now.

Deputy Michael Fitzpatrick

It is worth asking the person in question to make a submission to the committee.

Chairman

We have been sent a one-page promotional leaflet. That is not sufficient. We will write back. If the person in question wants to make a more detailed submission, we will be happy to consider it at some future stage.

The next item of correspondence is a list of the decisions taken by the Joint Committee on European Scrutiny at a recent meeting. It has been sent to us for information purposes. We will note the correspondence.

The next item of correspondence is a press release from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government on the new regulations to protect nature sites from recreational damage. We will note that.

The next item of correspondence is a press release from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government regarding the Department's new offices in Wexford. We will note that.

The next item of correspondence is a complaint from Mr. Christopher Krief on the issue of the registration of architects. We have written to the Minister on this topic. We will wait until we get a reply before we progress it further.

The next item of correspondence is a press release from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government on the implementation of the Limerick regeneration plan. We can note that.

The next item of correspondence is a copy of the address given by the Minister of State, Deputy Cuffe, at the RIAI awards in Farmleigh. We note that.

The next item of correspondence is a press release from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government on the review of how planning laws and policy are being implemented by a number of local authorities throughout the country. We are all aware of that review. I understand that approximately six local authorities are being examined as part of the review.

The next item of correspondence is a briefing from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government on the pyrite issue. We wrote to the Department at the request of Deputy Terence Flanagan, who is concerned about people whose houses are affected by the pyrite issue. It is obvious that a significant court case is taking place in this regard at present. The Department is not keen to get involved in the issue by discussing it with the committee at this point. Do members have any preference for how we should proceed in this instance? I suggest that we hold the correspondence over for the time being. Perhaps members can consult Deputy Terence Flanagan to ascertain how he thinks the matter should be dealt with.

The next item of correspondence is a newsletter from the National Parks and Wildlife Service on the conservation of birds. The matter is noted.

The next item of correspondence is the annual legislative work programme of the European Commission. We will note that.

The next item of correspondence is from Frank Cavanagh of Biocycle Limited. It is an update on the issue of environmental pollution and danger to drinking water as a result of individual septic tank systems. We know there are new EPA guidelines on that, and it has been discussed by another committee in the House. We will note it for the moment.

The next item is a letter from the Dogs Trust about the Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009. We will note it. Every Member of the House has probably received correspondence in respect of that legislation, so we will not discuss it here. The next item is a request to address the committee on the launch of the new manifesto by the CIC, and this request was forwarded on its behalf by the Construction Industry Federation. That is the purpose of our meeting today.

The next item of correspondence is about an objection by the Central Fisheries Board to the removal of gravel and debris from the River Bandon. The letter was sent by Mr. Patrick McSweeney in Bandon, and we will send it to the Department and ask its officials to give us a response to it. The final item of correspondence is a newsletter from the Institute of Public Health in Ireland. We will note that.

There have been four circulars issued by the Department to local authorities since the last meeting. These concerned the introduction of the incremental purchase scheme, food waste regulations awareness, quarterly staffing returns and the movements form, and the exercise by the housing authorities of statutory power to refuse to allocate or sell houses to particular persons. One statutory instrument was issued since the last meeting, and this concerned the conservation of wild birds special protection areas. We can note that.

A consultation paper on the draft European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2010 has been circulated to us. There is a deadline of 23 July if any member would like to submit an observation. It has something to do with the nitrates directive, which is why the IFA is in Dublin today. I have not seen a copy of the regulations, so maybe it will be circulated during the week.

We also received a letter from Senator Mark Daly about the jarvies in Kerry. Deputy Sheehan has raised that before. A court case has been taken, so we will hold it over separately. The Muckross House issue has been dealt with, but I am not sure about the rest.

Deputy James Bannon

You mentioned the nitrates directive.

Chairman

I was wondering out loud if the good agricultural practice regulations were connected with the IFA meeting in Dublin today.

Deputy James Bannon

It is. The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government is currently reviewing the nitrates regulations. We need a debate on that and we need to meet the IFA, because the IFA is seeking a number of changes in this review to cut out the impractical restrictions which impose unnecessary costs on the farming sector, including calendar farming. Anyone involved in agriculture knows that one cannot farm by the calendar year.

The nitrates regulations need to be discussed, as does the phosphates provision for pigs and the poultry sector, and the proposed ban on winter ploughing. I request that we meet the IFA as soon as possible on this because its members are very concerned about their future livelihood due to the implications of the nitrates regulations.

Chairman

At this stage I want to call on Deputy Johnny Brady, who is chairman of the agriculture committee.

The IFA has not requested a meeting.

Deputy Ciarán Lynch

If we allow tomorrow's meeting to proceed and if a request arises from the IFA, then we should accommodate that.

Chairman

If the IFA requests an opportunity to make a submission, we will certainly consider it, but that has not happened so far.

We propose to circulate a draft report on the management of the severe weather events in Ireland late last year and early this year and related matters. We propose to circulate a draft report today. It is important to note that it is a big item on our agenda. I propose that next Tuesday we discuss the draft report and if we can clear it and finalise it tomorrow, perhaps we could launch it the following Tuesday.

JOINT COMMITTEE ON THE ENVIRONMENT, HERITAGE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT díospóireacht - Tuesday, 6 Jul 2010

Business of Joint Committee

JOINT COMMITTEE ON THE ENVIRONMENT, HERITAGE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 6 Jul 2010