Dáil debates
Thursday, 24 March 2005
Establishment of Joint Committee on the Constitution: Motion.
10:30 am
Tom Kitt (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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Molaim an rún:
"D'ainneoin aon nà sna Buan-Orduithe, de bhrà go bhfuil Coiste Uile-Pháirtà an Oireachtais ar an mBunreacht ag gabháil d'athbhreithniú iomlán ar an mBunreacht ar bhonn Uile-PháirtÃó bunaÃodh é i mà Iúil 1996 agus ó athbhunaÃodh é i mà Dheireadh Fómhair 1997 agus arÃs i mà na Nollag 2002 agus na téarmaà tagartha seo a leanas aige:
'D'fhonn dÃriú ar ionad agus ar ábharthacht an Bhunreachta agus d'fhonn a chinneadh cad iad na réimsà ina bhféadfaidh sé a bheith inmhianaithe nó riachtanach athrú a dhéanamh ar an mBunreacht, déanfaidh an Coiste Uile-Pháirtà an t-athbhreithniú iomlán ar an mBunreacht a chrÃochnú, ar athbhreithniúé ar ar thosaigh an dá choiste roimhe seo. Le linn dó a bheith i mbun an athbhreithnithe sin, beidh aird ag an gCoiste Uile-Pháirtà ar na nithe seo a leanas:
(a) tuarascáil an Ghrúpa Athbhreithnithe ar an mBunreacht;
(b) nach ngabhfadh aon oibleagáid le rannpháirtÃocht sa Choiste Uile-Pháirtà maidir le tacú le haon mholtaà a dhéanfaÃ, fiú amháin dá ndéanfaà d'aon ghuth iad;
(c) nach measfaà comhaltaà an Choiste Uile-PháirtÃ, mar dhaoine aonair ná mar ionadaithe páirtÃ, a bheith faoi cheangal ar aon slÃó thaobh tacú le moltaà den sórt sin;
(d) go gcoimeádfaidh comhaltaà an Choiste Uile-Pháirtà a dtreoraithe páirtà faoi seach ar an eolas ó am go ham faoi dhul chun cinn obair an choiste; agus
(e) nach mbeadh cosc ar aon cheann de na páirtithe, sa Rialtas ná sa Fhreasúra, plé le hábhair atá laistigh de théarmaà tagartha an Choiste Uile-Pháirtà le linn dó a bheith ina shuÃ.',
féadfaidh Coiste Uile-Pháirtà an Oireachtais ar an mBunreacht suà mar chomhchoiste de dhá Theach an Oireachtais agus chun na crÃche sin:
(1) Déanfar roghchoiste, ar a mbeidh na Comhaltaà de Dháil Ãireann atá leagtha amach sa Sceideal a ghabhann leis an rún seo, a cheapadh a bheidh le comhcheangal le roghchoiste a cheapfaidh Seanad Ãireann chun bheith ina Chomhchoiste ar an mBunreacht chun ábhair a bhreithniú a chuimsÃtear leis an réamhrá a ghabhann leis an rún seo agus, go háirithe, saincheisteanna a bhaineann le cearta teaghlaigh, sa tslà chéanna, de réir mar a roghnóidh sé agus is cuà leis agus tabharfaidh sé tuarascáil orthu sin do dhá Theach an Oireachtais.
(2) 3 is córam don chomhchoiste, agus Comhalta de Dháil Ãireann a bheidh i nduine amháin dÃobh ar a laghad agus Comhalta de Sheanad Ãireann a bheidh i nduine amháin dÃobh ar a laghad.
(3) Beidh ag an gcomhchoiste na cumhachtaà a mhÃnÃtear i mBuan-Ordú 81(1), (2), (3), (4) agus (8).
(4) Is é an Teachta Donnacadha à Donnabháin Cathaoirleach an chomhchoiste agus is é an Seanadóir Micheál à Finnúcáin Leas-Chathaoirleach an chomhchoiste.
(5) Scoirfidh an rún seo d'éifeacht a bheith leis an 20 Bealtaine 2005.
AN SCEIDEAL
Na TeachtaÃ:â
Donnacadha à Donnabháin
Barra Mac Aindriú
Séamus à DaimhÃn
Peadar de Paor
Pádraic Mac Cormaic
Jan Uà Shúilleabháin
Art à Muireagáin
Ciarán Mac Dhuibh
James Breen"
I move:
"That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, whereas the All-Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution has been involved in a full review of the Constitution on an All-Party basis since its establishment in July 1996, re-establishment in October 1997 and again in December 2002 with the following terms of reference:
'In order to provide focus to the place and relevance of the Constitution and to establish those areas where constitutional change may be desirable or necessary, the All-Party Committee will complete the full review of the Constitution begun by the two previous committees. In undertaking this review, the All-Party Committee will have regard to the following:
(a) the report of the Constitution Review Group;
(b) participation in the All-Party Committee would involve no obligation to support any recommendations which might be made, even if made unanimously;
(c) members of the All-Party Committee, either as individuals or as party representatives, would not be regarded as committed in any way to support such recommendations;
(d) members of the All-Party Committee shall keep their respective party leaders informed from time to time of the progress of the committee's work; and
(e) none of the parties, in Government or Opposition, would be precluded from dealing with matters within the All-Party Committee's terms of reference while it is sitting.',
the All-Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution may sit as a joint committee of both Houses of the Oireachtas and for this purpose:
(1) A select committee, consisting of the Members of Dáil Ãireann set out in the Schedule to this resolution be appointed to be joined with a select committee to be appointed by Seanad Ãireann to form the Joint Committee on the Constitution to consider matters comprehended by the preamble to this resolution and, in particular, issues relating to family rights, in like manner, as it may select and see fit and shall report thereon to both Houses of the Oireachtas.
(2) The quorum of the joint committee shall be 3, of whom at least 1 shall be a Member of Dáil Ãireann and 1 a Member of Seanad Ãireann.
(3) The joint committee shall have the powers defined in Standing Order 81(1), (2), (3), (4) and (8).
(4) The Chairman of the joint committee shall be Deputy Denis O'Donovan, and the Vice Chairman of the joint committee shall be Senator Michael Finucane.
(5) This resolution shall cease to have effect on 20 May 2005.
SCHEDULE
Deputies:â
Denis O'Donovan
Barry Andrews
Jimmy Devins
Peter Power
Pádraic McCormack
Jan O'Sullivan
Arthur Morgan
Ciarán Cuffe
James Breen."