Paul Bradford (Renua Ireland) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 2:

In page 5, between lines 11 and 12, to insert the following: “(5) Assigning responsibility for the management of all accommodation functions, including office accommodation for Members elected to the Houses of the Oireachtas, will be within the power of the Secretary General and the assignee will report to the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission who will oversee and direct the management of this function as appropriate.”.”.

Rather than making a speech as to why I want to include this in the legislation, I ask the Minister of State if he could provide me with some justification as to why the fundamental matter of office accommodation for elected Members of the Oireachtas, Dáil and Seanad Members elected on an equal basis by the people or through the various panels, should not be the responsibility of the Ceann Comhairle or the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission? As the Minister of State may know, the present arrangement is that office accommodation is the responsibility of the Government Chief Whip. There is no need to replay some of the difficulties which have arisen over the past number of years. Will the Minister of State indicate why the Oireachtas commission, chaired by the Ceann Comhairle, should not be in charge of office accommodation thus ensuring that each Member of the Oireachtas is treated in an equal and fair fashion? They are elected in that fashion under the laws of this land.