Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister, Deputy Alan Kelly, back to the House. The legislation has come about as a result of an anomaly which means a by-election cannot be held in respect of a seat in the House where a vacancy has arisen as a result of the election to the European Parliament of our former colleague, Deirdre Clune. I wish her very well in her role as an MEP.

The main question on this side of the House is why the vacancy which arose on 5 August last year has not been filled. There has been a public spat between the Ceann Comhairle and the Taoiseach, which has done nothing for the lower House and democracy in the State. If the Bill before the House was introduced after the filling of that vacancy, there would not be a difficulty. It makes perfect sense to me that in the absence of the Clerk of the Dáil through illness or otherwise, the Assistant Clerk should be able to carry out the same duties. The Bill is being supported by Fianna Fáil for that reason. It is also being supported because we do not want to prevent a by-election in respect of a seat in this House. We want to know from the Minister why the position of Clerk of the Dáil has not been filled for almost a year.

We support the Bill to facilitate a by-election. Like Senator Healy-Eames, Senator Bradford and others, I hope the Fine Gael candidate is a supporter of the House and not someone who campaigned to abolish it. I hope that happens. If the Taoiseach follows his usual protocol, however, he will put in someone who actively campaigned to get rid of the House. We do not want to prevent the by-election and note that it makes sense that the Assistant Clerk should be able to carry out in full the duties of the Clerk of the Dáil in that official's absence.