Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Under the Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Act 2013, certain new Standing Orders are required to provide the framework for an Oireachtas inquiry to be established, to operate and to report. These Standing Orders have been drafted in accordance with requirements of the Act. Their legal context has been considered in detail and they have been discussed and approved by the Dáil and are now before the Seanad for consideration by this House.

Enhancing the role and powers of Oireachtas committees is at the heart of the Government's reform agenda. Since taking office less than three years ago, the Government has established a new Oireachtas committee structure, encouraging more public involvement in law-making by introducing the pre-legislative stage at committee and giving committees additional roles in the budget process and with a post-enactment review of legislation.

The Standing Orders before the Seanad today make provisions in four areas, namely, the replacement of a chair of an inquiry committee, bias in regard to the subject matter of an inquiry, expanded terms of reference of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, and a gateway mechanism which includes provisions on the consideration of inquiry reports.

The first change is to provide that where the chair of an inquiry committee is to be replaced, the House, not the members of the committee, will appoint the chair. The next change relates to the concept of objective bias. Addressing the issue of bias is vital to the functioning, fairness and public perception of any Oireachtas inquiry system. The CPP can consider any issue of bias and make a recommendation as to whether bias exists or not. The third change to Standing Orders expands the remit of the CPP, in line with provisions of the Act. The CPP will have responsibility for evaluating inquiry proposals and making recommendations to the House.

The CPP will act as an oversight committee where an inquiry is undertaken, including regulating issues of bias, approving requests for compellability and providing guidelines on conducting inquiries and other committee business where compellability is involved.