Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

That is what I want to ask about, if I may.

A senior member of FÁS refused to attend the Committee of Public Accounts because Dáil committees cannot compel or subpoena witnesses to attend and give information in regard to certain matters. The committees can examine issues but cannot apportion blame or otherwise. In view of this situation, people ask why the Oireachtas cannot require people to attend committees and subpoena people to give evidence which is in the public interest.

Is it the Taoiseach's view that a constitutional referendum might be required to give that authority to the Oireachtas and, as a consequence, to Dáil committees or does he believe it is within the ambit of the Oireachtas to rewrite Standing Orders to make that possible? This issue is of critical importance to stability and to the people's understanding of the way business is done.

The late Deputy Jim Mitchell chaired the DIRT inquiry and while the powers were not changed, the interaction of personalities and the goodwill of the parties involved allowed people to attend that committee. I will support the Government if the Minister of State, Deputy Pat Carey, redrafts Standing Orders to give committees the right to subpoena witnesses to appear before them, whether the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Finance and the Public Service, the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Economic Regulatory Affairs or otherwise, if it is in the public interest. Does the Taoiseach believe that arising from the Abbeylara case and the Supreme Court decision in the case of Maguire v. Ardagh, it might be necessary to do this by way of constitutional referendum?

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