Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to briefly address Deputy Colm Brophy's point. I agree that the committee should work with the Tánaiste on the proposal to have a system for investigation of maternal deaths. The reason I pick the forthcoming Judicial Appointments Commission Bill is because there are obviously certain things that get done quickly as there is pressure in Cabinet to act. There is attention on that Bill, because the Minister, Deputy Shane Ross, seems to be able to exert attention and effort on the Tánaiste such that it is forthcoming. I believe that if the Government is now aware that the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill will not be dealt with at committee until the Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill is dealt with on committee, that it will crack the whip in respect of the maternal deaths part of the Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill. It will get it done quicker and exert some pressure.

Perhaps we as a committee do not need a formal decision, but we can make decisions ourselves as to what Bills we take and when we take them. Usually what happens is that we have Second Stage one week, and then when it is a Government Bill it is presented to the committee the following week, we facilitate it, we get it through, we do our duty, and we send it back to have Report and Final Stages completed. What is going to happen here, and I have seen it before even though I have only been here for a little over a year, is that this Bill will not be published before summer because there is no pressure on it, but if the Minister, Shane Ross, is thinking that he cannot get his own Judicial Appointments Commission Bill through - his great achievement - he will ensure that there is pressure for it to be done, and it will be done.