Seanad debates
Thursday, 5 June 2014
Order of Business
11:30 am
Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)
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The Order of Business is No. 1, motion re notification of a vacancy in Seanad Éireann arising from the election of a Member to the European Parliament, to be taken without debate at the conclusion of the Order of Business; No. 2, motion re the arrangements for the address to Seanad Éireann by Ms Anne Brasseur, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, to be taken without debate at the conclusion of No. 1; No. 3, Friendly Societies and Industrial and Provident Societies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014 - Report Stage, to be taken at the conclusion of No. 2, with the time allocated for the debate not to exceed one hour; and No. 4, Companies Bill 2012 - Second Stage, to be taken at the conclusion of No. 3, with the contributions of group spokespersons not to exceed ten minutes and those of all other Senators not to exceed eight minutes.
Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)
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I neglected to congratulate former Senator Deirdre Clune on her election to the European Parliament. I congratulate her on behalf of my colleagues in Fianna Fáil on her successful election.
The Leader did not refer to No. 5 on the Order Paper, report of the Committee of Selection, following the meeting which took place last night. Where does the Government stand in that regard? I congratulate Senators Seán D. Barrett and Marc MacSharry on their selection to be members of the banking inquiry committee. The meeting of the Committee of Selection was convened last night in accordance with the motion passed by the Seanad on 14 May. The motion provided:
(1) That, having regard to section 12 of the Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Act 2013 and Standing Order 103C, a Select Committee be appointed, to be joined with a similar Select Committee of Dáil Éireann to form the Joint Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis, to develop a relevant proposal for conducting a ‘Part 2 Inquiry’...Standing Order 89 is very clear. It states:
(3) (a) The Select Committee shall consist of two (2) members who shall be nominated in accordance with Standing Order 89 and the provisions of Standing Orders 80(1) and (2) shall not apply.
There shall be appointed at the commencement of every Seanad a committee to be known as the Committee of Selection, which, unless it shall have been otherwise ordered, shall nominate the Senators to serve on Select or Special Committees and which shall have power to discharge members of such Committees from time to time for non-attendance or at their own request, and to appoint others in substitution ... The Committee of Selection shall consist of eleven Senators...It is clear, therefore, that the decision taken last night by the Committee of Selection is valid and was democratic. What is the Government's position on it? I assume the it will accept the democratic decision of an independent committee of the Seanad with representatives drawn from of all sides of the House. Based on research we have carried out, I can see evidence that only once - in 1982 - has the decision of the Committee of Selection been challenged in the Seanad Chamber. It is clear from looking at Standing Orders and the Government's motion that the decision on membership has been taken. Will the Leader confirm that the Government will respect the democratic decision of the independent Committee of Selection of the House and ensure Senators Sean D. Barrett and Marc MacSharry are the two selected nominees to serve in the banking inquiry? I would like the Leader to address this issue. I want to deal with it in a proper fashion, as the Leader has always done, and have no reason to think that will not be the case. The Committee of Selection has selected two members who have been selected under Standing Orders, the rules of the House and the Government Act. They have been selected under the Government's motion that was passed in the House with our support. I assume and ask the Leader to confirm that the Government will accept the two Senators elected to the committee from the Seanad, without political interference. This should be done in order that we can move on and have the banking inquiry established.
The Government has been at pains to say - I agree with it - that this should not be a political inquiry. It is about getting to the truth of what happened during the banking crisis. I read media reports last night that there was concern that the Government would not have a majority on the committee. I put it to the Leader that this should make no difference if it is to be an independent inquiry. The party affiliations of any member of the committee should make no difference. Will the Leader confirm that the Government will accept the decision of the Committee of Selection and tell us how we will move forward in that regard?