Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

The formula used in the House is that a Bill goes to the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality, but, as Members know, it is open to any Member to participate in a committee's deliberations on a Bill. The membership of a committee is only relevant in the case of a vote; this would not arise in the consideration of the heads of a Bill. It is completely open, for example, to the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality to have a joint meeting with the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, where that is seen to be appropriate, or to ask that or any other committee to make an input into its deliberations in order that when the committee reports, it can embrace the views of other Members of the House. That is a matter for the discretion of the Chairman. It is important that we ultimately receive feedback or a view from the main committee rather than obtaining a series of diverse views from other committees which may not engage in dealing with the legal complexities involved. However, I would certainly encourage the holding of a joint committee meeting if it was the view of members of the justice committee and the Chairman that it would be appropriate to have such a meeting.

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