Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

There are two separate strands here. We can decide on Standing Order 218 in a minute but a specific issue was raised relating to last week's meeting. Clarification has been sought as to whether the issue was specified on the invite and the answer is that we must check back. We will get clarification on that in the coming days. There is some uncertainty around it at the moment. It is unclear what exactly was specified on the invite but the committee secretariat will revert on that in the coming days. In terms of what we do then, if members want the committee to correspond with the Secretary General of the Department or the head of the Irish Prison Service to express their dissatisfaction with what took place at the meeting, that can be done and we can seek to have them before us again. I would certainly be open to that. Is that proposal agreed? Agreed.

On Standing Order 218, we cannot just spend our meetings giving out about it; we need to do something about it. I am open to suggestions on this. We can seek further legal advice on it to determine whether legislation is needed to change it. This came from the Kerins case and my opinion on it is well known. I believe that it is an over-the-top interpretation and that it went in the wrong direction. It is missing the point altogether. We need to see where we stand legally on that. We also need to seek a change to Standing Orders. However, the Opposition is in the minority in this Dáil. I am saying this in a collegial way but we will need Members of the House on board with this, whether they are in government or in opposition. It does not matter what hat Deputies or Senators are wearing; they will be handcuffed and restricted in terms of what they can do at this committee while Standing Order 218 is being used and interpreted in the way it is at present. Does anybody have any suggestions on this?