Dáil Éireann - Volume 555 - 10 October, 2002 - Written Answers.


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Dáil Éireann - Volume 555 - 10 October, 2002

Written Answers. - Departmental Bodies.

Mr. Allen Mr. Allen

215

147. Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Transport the committees, boards, companies or other bodies under the auspices of his Department which were established since 1997 to date otherwise than pursuant to statute or statutory instru[215] ments; if there are proposals to give the body in question a statutory basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17830/02]

Minister for Transport (Mr. Brennan)

Minister for Transport (Mr. Brennan): The information sought by the Deputy is outlined in this reply. This includes information in relation to the Department of Transport but not in respect of functions transferred from the Department of Public Enterprise to other Departments in June 2002.

The Task Force on Railway Safety was established by the Government on 3 November 1998 to prepare prioritised recommendations to address the issues identified in the 1998 report by independent consultants led by IRMS entitled “A Review of Railway Safety in Ireland”.

The inter-departmental committee on the carriage of dangerous goods by rail, established in 1977, is charged with preparing emergency response procedures in the event of an accident involving a train carrying dangerous goods.

The Level Crossing Working Group was established in recognition of the safety risks at road/rail interfaces. The function of the group is to monitor safety performance, identify vulnerable-high risk locations or scenarios and the means for achieving appropriate risk reduction.

The Road Haulage Review Group was established in December 1997 to oversee a review of the sector. The review resulted in the publication of a report entitled “A Strategy for the Successful Development of the Road Haulage Industry”.

The Road Haulage Review Implementation Group, consisting of representatives of IBEC, IRHA and the then Department of Public Enterprise, was established in June 1999 to implement the recommendations of the Strategy for the Successful Development of the Road Haulage Industry.

The Programme of Action for the Road Haulage Industry Steering Group was formed to implement the commitments contained in the “Programme of Action for the Road Haulage Industry” and had its first meeting in May 2001. The steering group has taken over the work of the Road Haulage Review Implementation Group.

An assessment panel was established in April this year to evaluate the tenders and make a recommendation to the Minister in relation to the EU public tender process in respect of air services on five PSO routes linking regional airports with Dublin. This was an ad hoc panel established for a specific purpose, which is now complete.

216

A panel of three independent persons was [216] established in November 2000, to report in general terms on the nature and extent of extreme personal financial hardship which may have been experienced by individual taxi licence holders arising from loss of income as a direct result of the liberalisation of entry to the taxi industry.

The following committees-groups have also been set up: Public Transport Accessibility Committee; Public Transport Partnership Forum; informal working group on the possible use of alternative fuels by Dublin Bus; inter-departmental committee on rural public transport; NDP Monitoring Committee; NDP Communications Committee; monitoring committee for the Economic and Social Infrastructure Operational Programme; a top level group of three persons to assist Iarnród Éireann in facing the challenges of expansion of the rail network and in delivering improved service; general committees and groups formed as part of the ongoing work of the Department, including, for example, partnership committees. There are no proposals to give a statutory basis to any of the above committees or groups.

Mr. Allen Mr. Allen

148. Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Transport the committees, boards, companies or other bodies under the auspices of his Department which were established since 1997 to date pursuant to statutory instrument; the particulars of the statutory instrument in each case; if there are proposals to have the body in question given a basis in statute as opposed to statutory instrument; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17880/02]

Minister for Transport (Mr. Brennan)

Minister for Transport (Mr. Brennan): The information sought by the Deputy is as follows. The Railway Procurement Agency was established on a statutory basis by my predecessor on 28 December 2001, pursuant to Statutory Instrument No. 649 of 2001. This Order was made under the Transport (Railway Infrastructure) Act, 2001.

Mr. Allen Mr. Allen

149. Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the committees, boards, companies or other bodies under the auspices of his Department which were established since 1997 to date otherwise than pursuant to statute or statutory instruments; if there are proposals to give the body in question a statutory basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17831/02]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell)

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell): The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following tabular statement:

217

[217]

Name of Committee, Board, Company or other Body established other than by Statute or Statutory instrument	Any proposal to establish this Body on a Statutory basis
National Steering Committee on Violence Against Women	No
Partnership 2000 Expert Working Group on Childcare (1997 to 1999)	No longer active
Inter-Departmental Committee on Childcare (1999)	No longer active
Inter-Departmental and Inter-Agency Childcare “Synergies” Group	No
National Co-ordination Childcare Committee (NCCC) and its sub-groups; – Advisory Group (for children with special requirements and minority ethnic groups including Travellers) to the NCCC; Certifying Bodies Subgroup; Working Group on School Age Childcare	No
County-City Childcare Committees	No
Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme Appraisal Committee	No
Group to examine Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland's Report of 22 March, 2002	No
Committee to review the Offences against the State Acts	No longer active
Consultation team on disability legislation	No
Monitoring Committee for the Employment of People with Disabilities in the Public Service	No
Establishment Group for the National Disability Authority	No longer active
Monitoring Committee on the Implementation of the Recommendations of the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities	No longer active
Steering Group for the Irish Council of People with Disabilities	No longer active
Consultative Group on Male/Female Wage Differentials	No
Equal Opportunities and Social Inclusion Co-ordinating Committee	No
Technical Advisory Committee to assist in the development of the Equality for Women Measure of the Regional Operational Programmes of the National Development Plan	No
Project Appraisal Committee to consider project applications submitted under the Equality for Women Measure	No
Steering Committee on Statistics and Research on Women in Agriculture	No
Equality Authority	The Equality Authority was established on a designate basis on 8 March 1999 and, following the implementation of the Employment Equality Act 1998, on a statutory basis on 18 October, 1999
Working Group on the Review and Improvement of the Maternity Protection Legislation	No longer active
Working Group to review the Parental Leave Act 1998	No longer active
Gender Equality Monitoring Committee	No longer active
Steering Committee to oversee the Consultation Process leading to the development of the National Plan for Women (2001 2005)	No longer active
Drug Court Planning Committee	No longer active
Reception and Integration Agency	Proposals under examination
National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism	No

218 219

[218] [219]

Name of Committee, Board, Company or other Body established other than by Statute or Statutory instrument	Any proposal to establish this Body on a Statutory basis
Working Group on Equality Proofing	No
Committee to Monitor and co-ordinate the implementation of the Recommendations of the Task Force on the Travelling Community	No
National Action Plan against Racism Steering Group	No
National Anti-Racism Awareness Programme Steering Group	No
Firearms Legislation Review Group	No longer active
Prisons Authority Interim Board	Proposals under examination
Interim Parole Board	It is proposed that legislation to provide for the Parole Board will be drawn up in due course to take account of the experience gained by the operation of this body on an administrative basis
Inspectorate of Prisons and Places of Detention	It is proposed that legislation to provide for an Inspectorate of Prisons and Places of Detention will be drawn up in due course to take account of the experience gained by the operation of this body on an administrative basis
National Steering Committee on Deaths in Custody	No
Independent Monitoring Committee for the Refugee Legal Service	No
Justice and Equality Sector Steering Group	No
Justice and Equality Sector Quality Assurance Group	No longer active
Heads of Associated Offices Group	No
Policy Planning Research Unit	No
Communications Steering Group	No
Performance Management Implementation Group	No
Human Rights Commission Selection Committee	No longer active
Commission on Liquor Licensing	No
Working Group on the Illegal and Harmful Use of the Internet	No longer active
Review of the Coroner Service	No longer active
Coroners' Rules Committee	No
Internet Advisory Board	No
Interdepartmental Review Group on the Review of the Gaming and Lotteries Acts 1956 to 1986	No
Review Group on investment-based naturalisation	No
Cross-Departmental Group on Immigration	No
Juvenile Justice Review Group	No
National Crime Council	No
Committee to prepare a Report on Garda Overtime as part of the SMI process of reviews of expenditure programmes in the Public Service	No longer active
Financial Committee to evaluate tenders received for the Second Helicopter being purchased for use by the Garda Síochána	No longer active

220 221

[220] [221]

Name of Committee, Board, Company or other Body established other than by Statute or Statutory instrument	Any proposal to establish this Body on a Statutory basis
Committee to advise on how applications for grant aid to facilitate the installation of Community Based CCTV schemes should be co-ordinated and administered	No longer active
Garda Síochána Physical Competence Test Review Group	No longer active
Interdepartmental Committee to oversee, facilitate and assess the contracting out of pilotage and maintenance of the Second Garda Helicopter	No

Mr. Allen Mr. Allen

150. Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the committees, boards, companies or other bodies under the auspices of his Department which were established since 1997 to date pursuant to statutory instrument; the particulars of the statutory instrument in each case; if there are proposals to have the body in question given a basis in statute as opposed to statutory instrument; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17881/02]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell)

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell): I can inform the Deputy that while no bodies were established under statutory instrument, as provided by the Statutory Instruments Acts, 1947 to 1955, the tribunal of inquiry into complaints concerning some gardaí of the Donegal division and the tribunal inquiring into the facts and circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting of John McCarthy were established by means of instruments under the Tribunal of Inquiry (Evidence) Act, 1921.

Question No. 151 answered with Question No. 36.

Dáil Éireann 555 Written Answers. Departmental Bodies.

Questions

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