Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Apologies have been received from Deputy Troy. Will members, please, turn off their mobile phones as they interfere with the broadcasting and recording equipment? There is a matter I wish to raise in private session.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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The minutes of the meeting on 28 November have been circulated. Are they agreed to? Agreed.

Before we commence the main item of business, I wish to deal with some correspondence. No. 2018/363, (a), (b) and (c), is an email from Ms Cathy Corcoran on behalf of the co-working group of the Lower Kimmage Road Residents Association concerning the objections to the Lower Kimmage Road BusConnects plans, giving notice of a meeting held on 29 November and a press release. It is proposed that the joint committee consider the correspondence in the context of the subject matter of its meeting today. Is that agreed? Agreed

No. 2018/364 is an email, dated 28 November 2018, received from Deputy Rock supporting Deputy Catherine Murphy's correspondence concerning a request that Mr. John Delaney of the Football Association of Ireland appear before the joint committee and also listing additional persons it might consider inviting. As agreed, it is proposed that the committee consider this matter as a priority item in its work programme for 2019. Is that agreed?

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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Do we agree to the work programme and then invite-----

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Whatever is acceptable.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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-----or do we send the invite at this stage?

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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If it is helpful, we can do two things. First, we will have a meeting next week, at which right now we have no business to conduct. We could use it to address the work programme for the new year. The invitations about which the Deputy talked could then be issued. Would that meet the Deputy's wishes? The meeting is to be held next Wednesday morning, which I am advised by the clerk is the last sitting day of the Dáil before Christmas. We can agree to our work programme and then issue the invitations to whomsoever we wish. I do not believe anybody will disagree with what the Deputy has said. The invitations could be issued following the meeting next week. Would the Deputy be happy with that? It would cover all angles.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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We will be dealing with legislation tonight that will be brought before us in time. Presumably, it will not be brought-----

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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That is a very important point. As I understand it, the Minister was anxious that the legislation would proceed, but a number of members felt it should be left until the new year to give it appropriate time, given its importance and the issues affecting their constituencies and so on. I was informed yesterday by the Department that it would not proceed to Committee Stage next week, even if it was passed by the Dáil. I do not know if it will even be passed tonight or tomorrow.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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Right.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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That leaves a vacant time slot next week.

I trust everybody is happy with that proposal. It will not be a long meeting. We can circulate a proposed working programme for next year and we can put Deputy Catherine Murphy's request at the top of that.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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There have been a number of requests from different Deputies regarding the work programme. Is there a list of those?

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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We will have all of those. We will ask for them.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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We will have them in advance of next week's meeting. That is fine.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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We will have them before the meeting. That concludes that item of correspondence, and I trust everybody is happy with that.

No. 2018/365 is an email I received concerning the Airport Noise (Dublin Airport) Regulation Bill which I circulated to the committee members. A second email was received from another gentleman expressing his views on it, which was circulated to the members. A third email was received from another gentleman, Mr. Eddie O'Keeffe. For the purposes of clarity, the names of the three people who wrote to me are Ms Ciara O'Reilly, Mr. Conor O'Reilly and Mr. Eddie O'Keeffe, and those emails were circulated to the members. It is proposed to consider those items when we come to deal with Committee Stage of that Bill. Is that agreed? Agreed.

No. 2018/368 a/b/c/d is an email received from the Minister, Deputy Shane Ross in which four documents are attached regarding the briefings given by Department officials concerning the Aircraft Noise (Dublin Airport) Regulation Bill 2018. It is proposed to note that item. Is that agreed? Agreed.

No. 2018/369 a/b, (a) is an email received from Mr. Jim Kelly, dated 30 November 2018, concerning MetroLink in which an alternative proposal is attached. It is proposed to consider this item in the context of the committee’s 2019 work programme. Is that agreed? Agreed.

No. 2018/370 a/b, (a) is an email received from Mr. Oisín Kelly, on behalf of Ruth Coppinger TD, dated 4 December 2018, requesting a meeting of the joint committee to consider Bus Éireann routes, starting with routes 101, 101x and 133, and that trade union representatives would be invited. As Deputy Coppinger is not here, I propose we note that correspondence.

No. 2018/371 is an email from Deputy Imelda Munster concerning objections to the select committee. We referred to that. That will not be happening.

Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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The Chairman has clarified that it is not going to go ahead.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy's correspondence is officially noted. Deputy Catherine Murphy's correspondence is also noted.