Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

I refer to remarks I heard the Taoiseach make last night and that he has made a few times recently, the effect of which, as I understand it, is that a statute that precedes the foundation of the State is not appropriate for inquiring into matters of public interest. Will the Taoiseach ask the Attorney General to advise whether legislation is necessary to refurbish the compellability law that permits of inquiry by parliamentary committee? While I do not suggest the 1921 Act is unsuitable in all circumstances to inquire into matters of public interest, most emphatically there are a great many matters that could be inquired into by parliamentary committee. Since the Abbylara judgment, the view in the House, regardless of whether it is well based in law, is that inquiry by parliamentary committee is not permitted. We should restore that right.

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