Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)

It means that people would absent themselves from a committee if something arose at the committee related to their constituency. Then I can understand how there might be a consideration made regarding public opinion. A member of the committee would then be obliged to state that the issue or incident related to his or her constituency or that a conflict of interest had arisen. I refer the Minister to the Standing Orders Relative to Private Business 1939.

I served as Vice Chairman of the Committee of Public Accounts. This committee worked very well on a cross-party basis. Members of that committee did not necessarily need to have been trained as auditors, accountants, lawyers, school teachers or candlestick-makers because it did not make any difference so long as people were well prepared. I suggest that anyone elected to these Houses will have a breadth of experience which many other people in other professions would never achieve, despite having any amount of college degrees. I trust that my colleagues would make proper decisions, even though they may be difficult decisions. I agree that discussion of the Standing Orders of the committee is for another day. We must ensure that when conflict arises, particularly as regards matters relating to a constituency, that it is dealt with.