Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 2: To ask the Taoiseach when the Government will announce its proposals for the new committee system. [8364/11]

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 3: To ask the Taoiseach when the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement Committee will be established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8395/11]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 and 3 together.

I am currently preparing proposals for a committee system for the 31st Dáil.

When the Government has considered these proposals and given its approval to the new arrangements, I will consult with the Opposition Whips in relation to them.

As Deputies will appreciate, I am not in a position at this point to comment on the detail of these proposals, except to say that I have taken into consideration many of the points raised in the recent debate on how to make the Dáil committee system more relevant and effective.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Will the new committees to be announced soon be larger committees given that the Government has given a commitment to having fewer committees of the House, and will they be fully resourced? The key point that came up during our discussions on the committees recently was the need to ensure some type of compellability mechanisms. Is there legislation on that or advice from the Attorney General regarding compellability of witnesses when committee inquiries and so on are held? Will that legislation be forthcoming or when will we see it?

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Parts of the legislation the Deputy refers to is being prepared. I have spoken to the Attorney General about such legislation that we will bring forward in the future. When the Taoiseach spoke about this issue, which is in the programme for Government, and the Labour Party also referred to it in its pre-election manifesto, he spoke about making committees stronger and more relevant. That is something I would like to see happen but pieces of legislation will be required to make some of the committees stronger and more meaningful.

The committees we are proposing to go forward with are being signed off. I hope I will have them signed off entirely by tomorrow or the end of this week. There will be a larger number of members on each of the committees. They will include Deputies and Senators, and they will be resourced fully. As there will be half the number of committees that were in the 30th Dáil I would hope the same number of staff members involved in all the committees can be combined, but that is a matter for the Houses of the Oireachtas through the commission, which will be set up shortly to make sure that the committee system is fully resourced and that they will work in a different way than was the case in the past.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank the Minister of State for his response and acknowledge that the plenary session here on committees and the committee structure was useful but I must point out that we have not had the level of engagement on this issue at Whips level as we have had on Dáil reform. Would the Chief Whip consider convening a special meeting of the Whips to discuss that in advance of any final decision?

I emphasise to the Minister of State the importance of setting up the Houses of the Oireachtas commission as a matter of urgency. I presume the commission falls within the ambit of committees in general. I support the issue raised by Deputy Ó Snodaigh in terms of the critical importance of the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and the fact that it should not be sacrificed, given its critical importance at this juncture.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

On consultation with the Opposition on the setting up of committees, I had a special debate here in the Dáil to give the Opposition Members an opportunity to discuss fully their proposals on the number of committees and so on. The debate held in the House was meaningful but not that many Deputies spoke about the committees that should be formed, those that should be sacrificed and the committees that should be combined. I thought there would have been more views expressed on that in the debate.

I hope to announce before the end of this week the number of committees. I can assure the Deputy that the Good Friday Agreement committee will not be sacrificed. There will be a full committee to carry out the work that has been done previously, and the work that will be done in coming years on the Good Friday Agreement. I assure the Deputy that we will have a stand alone committee for the Good Friday Agreement.

On the setting up of the Oireachtas commission, I have spoken to the Taoiseach on that and I would hope the Taoiseach will announce through the Houses of the Oireachtas the setting up of the Oireachtas commission within the next ten days. It is hoped we will have announced everything on the committee system and the Oireachtas commission by the end of the following week. I have no doubt that Members opposite have an appetite to get involved in the committee structure in the House and in the workings of the committees and bring forward some of their ideas but I have set out a programme for the committees to work for the first three or four weeks. The Taoiseach spoke about the chairpersons of bodies and so on coming before different committees to outline their plans and proposals on what they want to bring to the chairmanship of the new bodies.