Tom Parlon (Laois-Offaly, Progressive Democrats)

I clarified to the House that my side had given a misunderstanding on the degree of consultation. The amendments were proposed by the staff of the Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas and were submitted to the Government following consultation with the Office of the Attorney General. After considering the proposals, the Government agreed the proposed amendments were an appropriate way to deal with dismissal arrangements for these officers. Additionally, the representative of the Minister for Finance on the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission offered members of the commission an opportunity to raise any issues they had regarding the proposed amendments. One Deputy took this opportunity to raise the issue.

The proposed amendments reflect the arrangements in the 1959 and 2003 Acts for dismissal of certain officers in the Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas. If any new arrangements were put in place, it would represent a policy change in respect of the Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas and it would not be appropriate to deal with such significant change in a piecemeal manner in the Bill.

We all appreciate that assigning the dismissing authority for key officers in the Houses of the Oireachtas is complex. In the unlikely event of it happening, it would be a sensitive issue to be dealt with. The importance of the role of the commission, the Ceann Comhairle and the Cathaoirleach is highlighted in the consultative arrangements set out in the 1959 and 2003 Acts that relate to the Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas. In light of the role of the Clerks and the Clerk Assistants to provide independent advice to Chairs and Members, it is not appropriate to provide that the appointing or dismissing authority lies exclusively in the hands of the chairman of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission. The aim of the particular provisions relating to the dismissal of the officers of the Houses is to safeguard this underlying principle of independent advice.

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