Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 126: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the content of the submission from her Department to the study into domestic lighting being carried out by the European Commission under the eco design directive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20507/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Directive 2005/32/EC, which establishes a framework for the setting of ecodesign requirements for energy-using products, and proposals on individual products arising under the Framework Directive, fall within the aegis of my Department. The Department deals with proposals in conjunction with an Inter-Departmental/Inter-Agency Group including representatives from the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Enterprise Ireland and Sustainable Energy Ireland. The European Commission has split work on domestic lighting into two strands, Domestic Lighting part 1 including incandescent bulbs, and Domestic Lighting part 2 on directional light sources. The Study on part 1 has been carried out and on part 2 it is still under way.

Ireland has not made a written submission on the studies on domestic lighting. However, at a recent Consultation Forum meeting chaired by the Commission we expressed support in principle for the application of ecodesign requirements in relation to part 1, and looked forward to receiving an early proposal from the Commission. As with all proposals being developed under the Directive, the Commission proposal on domestic lighting part 1 is being prepared in a three-stage process. Firstly, a detailed technical study on the issue has been prepared for the Commission, in a process that was open for inputs by Stakeholders. Secondly, a more summary Commission Working Paper on the issue was submitted for views to a Consultation Forum of representatives of Stakeholders, including industry bodies, environmental protection groups and Member States.

The Commission is now preparing the third stage of the process in this case, in which it is expected to submit a draft proposal on domestic lighting part 1, setting out proposed ecodesign requirements and a timetable for their application to such products on the EU market, to a Regulatory Committee for opinion. Proposals receiving a favourable opinion are then adopted by the Commission. A Commission proposal on domestic lighting part 1 is expected to come before the Regulatory Committee later this year. A separate implementing measure is expected to be proposed on part 2 at a later date.