Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

On Sunday, when I read the reports of the expenses claimed by the Ceann Comhairle over the past two years and the supplementary information which was supplied to us later in the day by the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission, I felt that the pattern of extravagance was unacceptable. It was unacceptable to me as a public representative, unacceptable to me as taxpayer and, I believe, unacceptable to the vast majority of taxpayers. I considered that it was an something that Dáil Éireann would have to deal with, and deal with quickly.

Recognising the independence of the office of Ceann Comhairle, I felt it was not something that should be done unilaterally or in a partisan way. I wrote to the leaders of each of the political parties in the House suggesting that we should meet to discuss how this issue should be appropriately dealt with. I suggested that there should be a reply by 2.30 p.m. so that we would know where we were going with the matter before the Dáil recommenced today. I thank the party leaders who responded to me but I am disappointed that it has not been possible to arrange the kind of meeting I had envisaged. I am particularly disappointed that the Taoiseach did not agree to such a meeting. The issue that arises therefore is an issue of Dáil Éireann's confidence in the Ceann Comhairle. Do the Taoiseach and the parties in government continue to have confidence in Deputy O'Donoghue as Ceann Comhairle?

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