I propose to take Questions Nos. 49 and 50 together.
NSAI, as the National Standards body for Ireland, nominated in accordance with the requirements of EC Regulation 1025 and as the Irish Member of the European standardisation organisations, CEN and Cenelec (CLC), is obligated to adhere to the standardization principles of the World Trade Organization, to comply with CEN/CLC Internal regulations and to submit itself to a regular review process to confirm conformance with membership requirements.
In that context and recognising that NSAI develops standards through voluntary consultation and consensus, I have been advised that NSAI has appropriate procedures in place for the standardisation development process. These include procedures, for the establishment, functioning and review of an NSAI committee/technical body, for the management of individual committee members, and for the drafting of technical standards.
More specifically as regards committee composition, procedures are designed to ensure that NSAI seek committee members to reflect a balance of national interests from relevant stakeholders such as industry, government, academia, trade associations, consumers, societal, or others who are in a position to provide technical input to the committee.
Individual participants with legitimate interest in providing the necessary technical expertise on a voluntary basis, must adhere to the committee membership rules and codes of conduct, including maintenance of confidentiality, behaving ethically and respectfully of others, revealing any potential conflict of interest and contributing positively to standards development work.
Procedures are also in place to provide for NSAI to disband a committee or remove an individual participant where NSAI establishes a failure/s to comply with committee rules.
With regard to published international peer reviewed scientific journal articles, NSAI welcomes input from any committee member for the purposes of informing the development work. Committees may also take account of publications from other sources in their deliberations and in accordance with procedures references to relevant articles referred to in a published standard would be published in the bibliography.
With respect to procedures for committee membership management and referencing of scientific journal articles, NSAI has confirmed it is satisfied that it has in place such sufficient and appropriate procedures for the discharge of its functions.
Finally, NSAI remains cognisant of the significant contribution being made by all committee members and in particular those members of NSAI TC 63, who give their time and expertise voluntarily and despite working under extremely difficult circumstances, are committed to support the public good and help resolve the problems being experienced by the affected homeowners.
