DAIL DEBATES


Ordnance Survey Ireland Bill 2001 Second Stage

Sitting Time
Sitting Date
11:20
17 October 2001
Text:

Mr. Kelleher: I welcome the Bill. Ordnance Survey Ireland has made a
significant impact since its inception 177 years ago. The previous
speaker raised the important issue of the preservation of heritage which has been overlooked for many years. Ordnance Survey Ireland's mapping systems have enabled us to preserve many monuments which may have been lost to time, decay and progress. The fact that such monuments were positioned on maps allowed us to identify and preserve them. This is an important point and I pay tribute to the staff of OSI who were involved in the mapping and detailing of Ireland over all those years.
Times change and things move on and so must Ordnance Survey Ireland. The advent of technology and pressures and competition from organisations outside the State which could also carry out its functions make it imperative that OSI is put on a more commercial footing and is allowed to use the mapping expertise it has built up over many years to operate in the commercial world and to sell its products, services and expertise. This Bill will remove OSI from the aegis of the Civil Service and give it the freedom to sell its wares. I thank the staff for their efforts in the past and wish them luck in the future. I hope this enabling legislation will allow OSI to flourish, marketing itself as an experienced mapping organisation.
Under this Bill, OSI will continue to fulfil its traditional role of providing mapping services for the administrative, legislative, infrastructural and other needs of the State as it has done so effectively for the past 177 years. At present this role falls into four main operational categories. First, the updating and maintenance of the framework on which national mapping is based and on which many industries such as construction, surveying, transport and air navigation depend. OSI is an integral part of planning in the context of the national development plan and the ongoing development of our infrastructure. This highlights the impact which OSI has on a daily basis.
The second operational category involves a programme to complete a new mapping infrastructure for rural Ireland in the short term, an ongoing maintenance and development programme to ensure that urban, rural, tourism and leisure mapping databases are kept up to date and developing a marketing and sales function to ensure that products and services are suitably developed to meet the ongoing and anticipated needs of public and private customers.
The Bill provides that the general functions of OSI will continue to be to provide the national mapping service in the State and that it will operate in the public interest by creating and maintaining the definitive maps and geographical information of the State. The Bill sets out for the first time a detailed list of the tasks necessary for OSI to fulfil its public interest role. Accordingly, OSI will be required to continue to map all areas, including those which do not provide a commercial return on its activities. This is an important issue as some areas will not provide commercial returns. It is important that such activities continue and I welcome this provision.
There was also a concern that OSI's loss-making activities would be a burden on the Exchequer. However, the Bill provides that OSI, when engaging in commercial activities, may do so through subsidiary companies with limited liability set up under the Companies Acts, 1963 to 1999. Any capital necessary for such companies will not come from the public purse, but will be raised in the marketplace on the basis of the commercial merits of the projects concerned. In short, there will be no cross-subsidisation of commercial activities by the Exchequer in respect of capital or running costs.
Measures to ensure there is no cross-subsidisation by the Exchequer of potential commercial activities by OSI are an important feature of the Bill. These include clear statements of OSI's public interest functions, the requirement of the service agreement with the Minister for Finance to deliver the specified public interest outputs in return for Exchequer money and provisions to establish separate limited companies which will operate on a purely commercial basis for any commercial activities.
In addition, OSI will operate transparent accounting practices to identify commercial activities which it will separate from non-commercial activities. It will also implement a fair and transparent pricing policy which will ensure that OSI's basic data is available to competitors in the marketplace on the same terms and conditions as those which apply to its subsidiaries.
I welcome the great strides which OSI has made to prepare itself for the future. Advances in technology have been made possible by the substantial sums allocated to OSI in recent years to ensure that it uses the most up-to-date techniques in mapping. For example, OSI is leading the way in the use of satellite positioning and is in the process of implementing a network of permanently operating global positioning system receivers. This system is expected to be operational by early next year and will be controlled from OSI's computer headquarters.
Similarly, OSI uses advanced in-house geographical information systems used to store all collectable digital mapping data and to supply, edit and manage such data. It is anticipated that supplying GIS users with digital mapping products will be a major area of business growth. It is important that we give OSI the flexibility which was not possible heretofore under its former structure. This is a positive development. OSI has a wealth of experience and it must be allowed to flourish in the commercial world by selling that experience.
There are always concerns when change takes place. Some are uncertain of the effect this legislation will have on OSI. However, I am confident the staff will adjust. All those involved in drafting the legislation engaged in consultations and I am confident the staff will be able to move forward with confidence and pride, knowing their future is secure because of the expertise which has been built up over many years.
I compliment the Minister of State who has put much work into this
legislation and into negotiations with all involved.

Sitting Time
Sitting Date
11:30
17 October 2001
Text:
[Mr. Kelleher continuing.]
Ordnance Survey Ireland has given a great service to the State. I am
confident that in the years ahead it will continue to give a great service and ensure its major role of mapping is not lost when it moves into the commercial world. I wish the Bill a speedy passage through the House and wish the staff and everybody involved the best of luck in the years ahead.