Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have raised Standing Order 218 previously and I said that the issue would become more prevalent and it has, unfortunately. I am a new member of the committee and at the initial meeting, we were greeted with the new Standing Order 218. From my understanding of the committee prior to joining it, the Standing Order has put the kibosh on our ability to question witnesses or certainly put pressure on the Chair to ensure that there is compatibility with the Standing Orders of the House.

I ask that the impact on our committee be analysed at the weekly meeting of the Oireachtas committee chairman and, indeed, by the Committee on Procedure, of which I understand I am now a member. I really think it only impacts on this committee and not so on others. It is imperative that we do that because when Covid is over and we have longer than two-hour sessions with witnesses, the impact of the Standing Order will come into shaper focus and be unfair to this committee. As Deputy Catherine Murphy eloquently said, it will impact more so on us as committee members and favour those who are here as witnesses. It is important that we deal with this matter as soon as possible, preferably in January, before the committee meets again. I appeal to the Chairman, as the guardian of the committee, that we deal with this matter.