Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Deputy Gilmore said this morning that as far as he was aware there was no precedent for the replacement of the Ceann Comhairle during the course of a Dáil session. If I recall correctly, in July 1980 the late Ceann Comhairle Joseph Brennan died in office while the Dáil was in recess, and the then Taoiseach, Charles Haughey, decided to appoint a member of his Cabinet, Pádraig Faulkner, as the Ceann Comhairle. The person occupying this seat at the time, Garret FitzGerald, objected to the fact that the Taoiseach had not consulted with him, although he did not object to Mr. Faulkner's appointment. The Labour Party did not object either. In fact, I think he was elected unanimously.

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