Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

The establishment of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission was one of the greatest achievements in this House since I entered it. It gave responsibility to the Members for the administration of the business of the Houses, a development for which we should be grateful. However, it also brought its own responsibilities.

I chaired the first commission and I am satisfied about defending its work. While I share some of the concerns of Deputies Bruton and Rabbitte, they all fundamentally come down to the role of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges versus the role of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission. Many of the issues raised would be more appropriately dealt with in the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.

The Commission made every effort to seek better value for the money spent on the Oireachtas. One example of this was the streamlining of the use of printers. I believe the service is now more efficient and effective than it was when each party had its own printer.

An important point arising from the Minister of State's speech is the need to link parliamentary business with efficiencies adopted by the commission, always recognising the primacy of Parliament to regulate its business. Sweden is an example of where this has happened. The Minister of State also spoke about the role of the Civil Service and of the staff of the Houses of the Oireachtas under the 1959 Act and referred to the Minister for Finance's programme of reform, which is important in terms of this House. The key to modernisation and maximising efficiencies is flexibility, which is required in the public service generally and is important for the running of this House.

The change to the word "service" is, in my view, a welcome first step and highlights the importance of service to people outside and the service which we receive from the commission which assists us in better looking after the needs of the people we represent. The change to the word "service" is a positive step which reflects the drive to achieve a more Member-friendly service. Members who have served on the commission for the past six years have done a good job in terms of helping us to do better the job we are elected to do. Members of the House, the Clerk of the Dáil and officials who serve the commission have worked well, with everybody rowing the same way, to ensure we receive maximum benefit.

I congratulate our colleague, Deputy John Browne, on his appointment today by this House to the commission. I wish him a successful and pleasant term of office.

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