Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 22 January 2014

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions

Decisions on Public Petitions Received

4:00 pm

Photo of Pádraig Mac LochlainnPádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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The first petition is No. 00062/12 from Dr. Clara Fischer on behalf of the Equality Budgeting Campaign calling on the Irish Government to introduce equality budgeting. As the committee has already deliberated on this matter, I invite members to make their recommendations.

Photo of Trevor Ó ClochartaighTrevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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As a committee we were not happy with the response from the Department.

There is merit in the position being proposed by the Equality Budgeting Campaign. We would like to opt for recommendation No. 2, namely, to invite the petitioner to attend a meeting to outline to us how equality budgeting works in a practical manner in other jurisdictions and how it might be taken on board in Ireland. The ministerial response seems to dismiss it as being impossible because of time constraints, a lack of information, etc. If it is being done in other jurisdictions and the petitioner has a valid case, however, we should hear it and decide whether to go from there.

4:05 pm

Photo of Susan O'KeeffeSusan O'Keeffe (Labour)
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I support Senator Ó Clochartaigh's suggestion. There is a case to answer, as other jurisdictions manage to equality proof their budgets. There may be a time constraint, but where there is a will, there is a way. The idea that we would exclude the ESRI and Equality Authority from having a role in the budget merits our further examination. I would like the petitioner to attend to present a case, which we would take from there. We might ask for a thorough briefing on how equality proofing is handled in other jurisdictions. I am open to clarification, but I understand that, under the Lisbon treaty, budgets ought to be equality proofed.

Photo of Pádraig Mac LochlainnPádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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During our deliberations, a number of issues arose that we would ask the Equality Budgeting Campaign to clarify in advance of the presentation so as to help our consideration. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Petition No. 00075/12 is from Ms Melissa Halpin seeking the revocation of a foreshore licence granted to Providence Resources plc to drill in Dublin Bay. It also seeks a public inquiry into the granting of the foreshore licence by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government on the basis that the consultation process was inadequate. As the foreshore licence was voluntarily surrendered by the company in question, that element of the petition is deemed to be closed. However, the committee has agreed that, as part of its oversight brief, to keep the petition open. The petition was referred to the Joint Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht in the context of that committee's consideration of the new legislation to incorporate the foreshore consent system in the planning process. The environment committee replied that it had referred the matter to the Minister, Deputy Hogan, asking that he inform it of whether he intended to amend previous domestic legislation. That legislation will be amended within the enactment of the maritime area and foreshore (amendment) Bill.

The recommendation from our team, agreed while we were deliberating, is to note the response of the Joint Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht and to forward a copy of this response to the petitioner for her information. The committee secretariat will continue to monitor this issue. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Photo of Séamus KirkSéamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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For reasons set out at a previous meeting, I did not participate in the discussion on this issue. It is important that this point be recorded.

Photo of Pádraig Mac LochlainnPádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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Yes. I confirm that the Deputy did not participate in this or the previous discussion on the matter due to a declared interest.
Petition No. 00077/12 from Ms Patricia O'Leary proposes that it should be possible for all foreign driving licence holders to swap their licences for Irish licences. The petitioner is of the view that people coming to Ireland can only transfer their licences for Irish ones if they come from countries that drive on the left-hand side of the road. Other drivers must sit theory and driving tests. The petitioner believes that this is discriminatory. Previously, the committee referred this petition to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport for consideration before reporting back to us. He has indicated that there are no plans to change the status quo. Where possible and where standards are compatible with Ireland's, a mutual exchange is already in place. As stated by the Minister, these standards are in place to ensure road safety and all aspects of exchange programmes are subject to detailed studies. Having had a chance to deliberate, it is now open to members to make proposals.

Photo of Susan O'KeeffeSusan O'Keeffe (Labour)
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The petitioner had a valid thought in her head, namely, to make Ireland a more welcoming place for foreign drivers. However, the matter of road safety will always be the determining factor. In this matter, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport has stated that it is not a question of which side of the road one drives on, but of whether other countries' driving licence standards are up to ours. I understand the Department's statement to mean that, if other countries wish to seek changes to the swap arrangement, their requests will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. The example provided is of the ongoing negotiations with Canada about potentially swapping licences.

In closing this petition, we might explain to the petitioner that road safety is of paramount importance. We can provide her with the list of countries with which we have a swap arrangement and indicate that, given the fact that other countries may be added to it on a case-by-case basis, the Government keeps an open mind on the matter.

Photo of Pádraig Mac LochlainnPádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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Did an issue also arise concerning the equivalence? When we send the petitioner the Minister's letter, we might also add a few explanatory points.

Photo of Susan O'KeeffeSusan O'Keeffe (Labour)
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Yes. People generally believe that the left-hand side issue is the only reason, but that is not the case. For example, many authorities issue licences in the US. We should give a coherent explanation to the petitioner, whose purpose in raising this matter was valid.

Photo of Pádraig Mac LochlainnPádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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Is that agreed? Agreed.

Petition No. 00015/13 from Mr. Niall Kelly calls for the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner and the Financial Services Ombudsman to fall under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act. We have had a chance to deliberate on this petition. I open the discussion to the floor. Deputy Flanagan wishes to make a recommendation.

Photo of Charles FlanaganCharles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Having considered the content of this petition, I propose that the committee is of the view that there are certain merits attached to it and that we wish to endorse its content. We note the fact that the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform recommended in its report a certain course of action to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. I propose that we contact the Minister to endorse the content of Mr. Kelly's petition and to request that it be taken on board.

Photo of Pádraig Mac LochlainnPádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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Is that agreed? Agreed.

Petition No. 00024/13 from Mr. Kevin Sharkey relates to recruitment policy at RTE. The petitioner is of the opinion that there is a policy within RTE to the effect that the station should only employ white people. The committee previously considered this petition at its meeting on 11 December 2013 and agreed to write to RTE seeking a response to the issues raised. RTE robustly refuted the petitioner's assertion. It informed the committee that it was subject to the Employment Equality Act 1998 and was an equal opportunities employer. In seeking the most qualified staff for a particular role, race, gender and physical abilities are not factors. RTE employs approximately 100 foreign nationals from various countries across the world in its many business areas. These staff are hired and contracted based on compliance with the specific requirements of different roles.

The committee has deliberated on this petition and wishes to defer the matter for further consideration at a meeting in the near future. Is that agreed? Agreed.

The joint committee adjourned at 5.20 p.m. until 4 p.m. on Wednesday, 5 February 2014.