Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We will now address the second substantive item for address by the select committee this morning, namely, the Coroners Bill and the issue of money messages. Members will recall our discussion last week about the Coroners Bill 2015 and the failure of the Government to provide the money message for the Bill. As Chairman, I undertook to take certain steps and I wish to update members now on the steps undertaken in the interim.

The first was to seek a meeting of the Working Group of Committee Chairmen through the offices of Deputy Jim Daly, who chairs the working group. I made this request. Deputy Daly and I did not have a meeting proper but we have since spoken. This was superseded by the second course of action, namely, to arrange a meeting directly with the Ceann Comhairle. This meeting took place last Wednesday. It was also attended by the former clerk to our committee, Gina Long, representing the Bills Office; Elaine Gunn, representing the Business Committee, I understand; and the Ceann Comhairle, Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl. The upshot of this was that the Ceann Comhairle advised that he had corresponded on four Bills that had been presented for address by this committee - we knew he had done so because we were told after the event - and had sought an indication as to the money message being provided or not, as the case might be. Despite this fact, almost a full month later - as of last Thursday, 11 May, the date of 12 April was long past - there was no reply to the Ceann Comhairle's letter. I found this most extraordinary and the Ceann Comhairle concurs and intends taking up the matter. The upshot of the meeting was that the Ceann Comhairle has sought a meeting with An Taoiseach for this week to be attended by the Ceann Comhairle; by me, as Chairman of the justice committee, which is the raising committee; and Deputy Jim Daly, as the chair of the Working Group of Committee Chairmen. The letter was sent last Thursday. It was drafted in my presence to be despatched shortly after the conclusion of our meeting. I have no indication at present as to whether the meeting is being accommodated. I will make further inquiries.

Those were the actions I undertook to take at the committee's request. We have now brought the matter to a new plane. Rather than addressing it as a stand-alone committee and in isolation, it will now be addressed in conjunction with Deputy Jim Daly, as the Chair of the Working Group of Committee Chairmen, and the Ceann Comhairle on behalf of the Dáil and the system here. That meeting is to take place with An Taoiseach. As soon as we have that opportunity, we will be able to report back. I spoke with Deputy Daly yesterday. We have agreed that, whatever the outcome of the meeting, we will convene a meeting of the Working Group of Committee Chairmen to brief all committee Chairmen on the outworkings and upshot of our meeting with the Taoiseach.

The other actions to be taken concerned Deputy Clare Daly and the Minister and an exploration of the Minister's letter to me and the committee regarding her willingness to facilitate us in the period running up to the summer recess. While my address was in broad brush strokes, Deputy Daly's was specific to her Bill, namely, the Coroners Bill, and I invite Deputy Daly to bring us up to date in this regard.