PUBLIC AFFAIRS IRELAND NEWSLETTER Your essential weekly guide to legislative, regulatory and public affairs in Ireland Issue 303 February 24 2014

Oireachtas Update

This week the legislation being considered in the Dáil includes the report and final stages of the County Enterprise Boards (Dissolution) Bill 2013 and the second stage of the Protected Disclosures Bill 2013 on Thursday. The Seanad will consider the Upward Only Rent (Clauses and Reviews) Bill 2013 on Wednesday and the establishment of a Community Courts system in Ireland. The Transport and Communications Committee will meet on Wednesday to hear concerns about the sustainability of the existing Post Office network with Mr Brian McGann, General Secretary of the Irish Postmasters’ Union. Appointment Update Appointment of Interim Government Chief Information Officer Michael McGrath has been appointed as Interim Government Chief Information Officer (CIO) for a six-month period, commencing on 24 March 2014.

Mr. McGrath joins the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) from his position as Executive Vice-President of IT at ICON plc, where he was a member of the Executive management team reporting to the CEO. ICON plc is a $1.2B Irish headquartered company and a global provider of outsourced drug development services to the pharmaceutical industry.

The first Government CIO, Bill McCluggage, resigned in December after just seven months in the role for personal reasons.

Mr Mc.Grath previously worked as Head of Group IT and Director of IT for Europe in ICON. Prior to this he held key senior IT roles in GE Capital and Woodchester Bank, as well as ESBI Computing Ltd.

Mr. McGrath hold a BSc. in Information Technology from Dublin City University, is a Sigma Six Black Belt and is a member of the Irish Computer Society (ICS).

News Update Freedom of Information for the Aviation Regulatory Bodies The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, TD, has responded to a parliamentary question regarding the relevant aviation bodies being subject to Freedom of Information legislation. Out of the two aviation regulatory bodies under the aegis of the Department, the Commission for Aviation Regulation is subject to FOI legislation while the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) is not subject to the legislation.

There is a comprehensive international framework in place to ensure aviation safety and the IAA performs its regulatory role in accordance with international and European standards and publishes an annual safety report. Minister Varadkar believes that the application of FOI to this system could be counter-productive but did not rule out the possibility of extending the FOI Act to other functions of the IAA. The IAA is a commercial State-sponsored body and derives the vast majority of its revenue from international sources, receiving no Government funding.

Minister Varadkar stated he would examine Deputy ’s proposals to make the “relevant aviation regulatory bodies subject to FOI legislation, to enable the public to be fully assured that their safety is being safeguarded to the highest extent and in the most transparent way possible”. Minister Varadkar stated he would “examine the proposal and discuss it with the IAA before making a policy decision on the matter whilst also examining normal practice in other jurisdictions”.

Tel: 01 8198500 Fax: 01 8944733 E: [email protected] Public Affairs Ireland www.publicaffairsireland.com 25 Mountjoy Square East Dublin 1 Schedule: Week beginning February 24 2014 Dáil Tuesday February 25 Wednesday February 26 Thursday February 27

2pm 9.30am 9.30am Questions (Minister for Education Questions (Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform) Questions (Minister for Justice and and Skills) Equality) 10.45am 3.15pm Statements on Irelands Engagement with Europe 10.45am Leaders Questions (to conclude at 4pm if not previously concluded) County Enterprise Boards (Dissolution) (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) Bill 2013 (Seanad) - Order for Report, 3.36pm Report and Final Stages Questions (Taoiseach) Statements on the Commemorations (Department of Jobs, Enterprise and (to conclude at 7.30pm if not previously concluded) Innovation) 4.36pm (Department of Arts Heritage and the Gaeltacht) Order of Business Health Identifiers Bill 2013 (Seanad) - 12 noon Second Stage Resumed 5.06pm Leaders Questions (Department of Health) Topical Issues 12.21pm Health Service Executive (Financial Health Identifiers Bill 2013 (Seanad) Order of Business Matters) Bill 2013 - Second Stage - Second Stage Resumed Resumed (Department of Health) 12.51pm (Department of Health) Topical Issues 7.30pm Protected Disclosures Bill 2013 Private Members Business: 1.39pm [Seanad] - Second Stage (resumed) Motion re Post Office Network SOS (Department of Public Expenditure and (Technical Group) Reform) 2.39pm Morning Business Continued 12 noon Leaders Questions 7.30pm Private Members Business: 12.21pm Motion re Post Office Network (Technical Group) Order of Business

12.41pm Morning Business Continued

4.42pm Topical Issues

Seanad

Tuesday February 25 Wednesday February 26 Thursday February 27

2.30pm 10.30am 10.30am Order of Business Order of Business Order of Business

3.45pm 11.45am Motion regarding “That Seanad Éireann- Statements on Ireland’s Inland Regulation on the - recognises that consideration should be given to the establishment of Community Waterways temporary re-location of Courts in Ireland to share with traditional courts the goals of ensuring community safety (Minister for Arts, Heritage and CEPOL (the European while protecting the due process of defendants; the Gaeltacht) Police College) – Back - recognises that Community Courts could effectively deal with low-level offences, from Committee without focusing primarily on criminal anti-social behaviour; 1pm debate - recognises that Community Courts may facilitate community engagement in the Fines (Payment and Recovery) criminal justice system by providing robust and speedy case management systems to Bill 2013 - Second Stage 11.45am apply a problem solving approach to each defendant and the outcome of his/her case (Minister for Justice and ESB (Electronic and to develop a collaborative working approach amongst the service providers; Equality) Communications Network) - commends the work of the National Crime Council and notes the publication in 2007, Bill 2013 – Committee and of their report on the Case for Community Courts in Ireland; 3pm Remaining Stages - recognises the experience and positive outcomes associated with the use of Upward Only Rent (Clauses and (Minister for Community Courts internationally such as Canada and the USA Reviews) Bill 2013 – Committee Communications, Energy - calls on the Minister for Justice, Equality to consider the development of Community and Remaining Stages and Natural Resources) Courts in Ireland, with a view to establishing Community Courts as the default court (Department of Justice and for less serious offences to reduce overall levels of imprisonment and to facilitate and Equality) Matters on the Adjournment strengthen community involvement in the criminal justice system. 4pm (Senators Martin Conway, , , , , Parental Leave Bill 2013 – , , Jim D ‘Arcy, Michael Darcy, , Cait Committee Stage Keane, , Michael Mullins, , Pat O ‘Neill, , (Department of Justice and Terry Brennan, ) Equality)

Matters on the Adjournment Matters on the Adjournment Oireachtas Schedule: Week beginning February 24 2014 Committee Meetings

Tuesday February 25 Wednesday February 26 Thursday February 27

1.30pm 9.30am 9.30am Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Transport and Communications Health and Children Committee Room 2, Leinster House Committee Room 4, Leinster House Committee Room 2, Leinster House AGENDA: AGENDA: AGENDA: Entrepreneurship in Ireland – Concerns about the sustainability of the existing Post Office network Rare Diseases Day [Genetic and Rare Strengthening the Startup Community [Mr [Mr Brian McGann, General Secretary, Irish Postmasters’ Union] Disorders Organisation; Academic Centre on Sean O’Sullivan, Entrepreneurship Forum] Rare Diseases; and Professor Eileen Treacy, 10am Special Needs Parents Association] 2pm Justice, Defence and Equality Agriculture, Food and the Marine Committee Room 2, Leinster House 10am Committee Room 3, Leinster House AGENDA: Public Accounts AGENDA: (i) Motion re: amending Decision 2005/681/JHA establishing the Committee Room 1, Leinster House Forestry Bill 2013 European Police College (CEPOL) [Minister for Justice and Equality] AGENDA: [Minister of State at Department of and; (i) Business of the Committee; Agriculture, Food and the Marine] (ii) Hearings on submissions received in relation to Domestic and Sexual (ii) Payments made by the HSE to Rehab Violence (resumed) [Representatives from Rape Crisis Network Ireland; under Section 39 of the Health Act 2004 2.15pm Ruhama; Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre; Irish Congress of (iii) The operation of the Charitable Lotteries Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht Trade Unions; Dublin Rape Crisis Centre; Sex Workers Alliance Ireland; Scheme and payments made to Rehab from Committee Room 4, Leinster House Ugly Mugs Ireland; The Women’s Therapy Centre; National Disability the Vote of the Department of Justice and AGENDA: Authority; The Irish Immigrant Support Centre (Nasc); and Do or Die Equality (i) Scrutiny of EU legislative proposals: Foundation] (iv) Payments made by SOLAS to Rehab Schedule A: COM (2013) 697 re. for the provision of Specialist Vocational recyclability of motor vehicles; 10.30am Training [Accounting Officers of Rehab, COM (2013) 758 re. placing on the market Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement SOLAS, Department of Justice & Equality of a genetically modified maize product; Committee Room 3, Leinster House and the HSE] COM (2014) 20 re. greenhouse gas AGENDA: emission scheme; and The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Review of Foreign Policy Schedule B: COM (2013) 867; and External Relations 10am (ii) Engagement with Ms Sheila Pratschke, [Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade] Public Expenditure and Reform (Sub- Chairperson Designate, Arts Council Committee) 1pm Committee Room 3, Leinster House 2.30pm Education and Social Protection AGENDA: Health and Children Committee Room 3, Leinster House Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Committee Room 1, Leinster House AGENDA: Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013 AGENDA: The role and potential of Community Education and Vocational [Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform] National Ambulance Service Education [Aontas (The Irish National Adult Learning Organisation); City (i) 4.15 pm [SIPTU; and National Ambulance and Guilds; Education and Training Boards of Ireland (ETBI); Quality 11.30am Service Representative Association]; and and Qualifications of Ireland (QQI) and SOLAS (Further Education and Affairs (ii) 5.30 pm [Health Service Executive] Training Authority)] Committee Room 4, Leinster House AGENDA: 2pm Private Meeting Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform Committee Room 4, Leinster House AGENDA: Matters relating to the sale of the IBRC mortgage loan-book [Witnesses T.B.C.]

2.30pm Foreign Affairs and Trade Committee Room 1, Leinster House AGENDA: The work of Trócaire [Mr Éamonn Meehan, Executive Director, Trócaire]

4pm Public Service Oversight and Petitions Committee Room 3, Leinster House AGENDA: Private Meeting