Clerk to the Committee:

The delay here relates to the fact that the Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries Privileges and Procedures) Act was introduced in September. Under that legislation, the Houses of the Oireachtas are required to draw up new Standing Orders mainly relating to the protection of witnesses who come before or are compelled to come before inquiries. That has not been done yet so once that is finished, we will be able to proceed. We have an application in but we want to be able to see what the guidelines are.