Dáil Éireann debate -
Saturday, 27 Aug 1921

Vol. S No. 9

Prelude

Dáil assembled for Private Session in Round Room, Mansion House.

SPEAKER took the Chair at 12 noon.

PRESIDENT

said with reference to the matter about which they had reassembled, the Cabinet had been discussing it that morning, and he did not think there was any necessity for appointing plenipotentiaries at the present time. They thought it would be undesirable. The Dáil did not know whether they would be required or not. The Cabinet decided also they should be ratified by the Dáil whilst they as a Cabinet would propose their names. Therefore it would be necessary for the Dáil to re-assemble if they should be appointed. The Cabinet were of opinion they should not be appointed at this time. So that was all he had to say.

They had seen the reply themselves and they (the Cabinet) purposed sending a reply as soon as they could. The Dáil would have to come back in case plenipotentiaries would have to be appointed. They (the Cabinet) would propose the names one by one and it would be for the Dáil to ratify the selections or not. He proposed the nomination of the plenipotentiaries be left to the Cabinet and the Dáil to re-assemble to ratify them if necessary.

M.P. COLLIVET

asked did the Ministry consider it necessary to have the hands of the Cabinet tied to ratification. He would be in favour of giving the Cabinet a free hand.

PRESIDENT

said they discussed this matter in the Cabinet and their decision was that it was advisable that the plenipotentiaries be ratified by the Dáil. It was not a usual custom but under the peculiar circumstances in which they were working they thought it better.

I suppose it is agreed that the procedure be adopted that you would be called back in case the occasion arises for plenipotentiaries to be ratified. I am sorry if the members of the Dáil took away with them the impression that negotiations were going to proceed. There was a question raised yesterday which could come up at the time when the question of appointing plenipotentiaries would be brought before the Dáil, and that was whether they should go or not. It would be open at that time for members of the House to question the advisability of their going or not.

SEÁN MILROY

drew the attention of the House to a slight inaccuracy in the returns of the Grand Committee last night. It related to the representatives for Munster which was done very hurriedly towards the end of the meeting. On going over the returns they discovered that Liam de Róiste had got 14 votes which brought him fifth on the list. They would recollect also there was a tie between three and after a draw Mrs. O'Callaghan was elected on the Committee. The suggestion had been made that Mrs. O'Callaghan be still retained as one of the Committee. In view of what took place he asked the House to approve of it.

DONAL O'CALLAGHAN seconded.

Questions put and agreed.

SEÁN MILROY

said he thought it desirable that the President would give the Deputies some suggestions of guidance as to how they should view the reply from the British government pending the next meeting of the Dáil. It would be unfortunate if they separated without some collective idea governing their attitude and expressions of opinion. It was a very critical period and one indiscreet remark by a Deputy might have a far-reaching effect.

PRESIDENT

replied that he thought there should be very little speech making or interviews given to the Press. The attitude he thought they should take up was this they had chosen a Cabinet to carry out negotiations and that they had every right when the time came as representatives and citizens to express their opinions whether they agreed with the Cabinet's views or actions.

But he thought they were going to do the best work and run fewer risks of those divisions which would arise where different people approached a very difficult question from very different points of view. He thought they would be far safer if the same restraint which was exercised up to this was continued. They had chosen an executive to do their work and when they wished to criticise their work they would do it in the proper place.

To refuse to deal with the situation in speeches or interviews. It would not suit them if they were brought up against different views expressed by different Deputies all over the country. They remembered how Fr. O'Flanagan's views on Partition had been brought up against them time and again. Their reply as far as the terms were concerned was irrevocable and on the principle of "Government by consent of the governed" they were willing to appoint plenipotentiaries. Those were the only two things that were irrevocable.

ALEC MACCABE

suggested that their Publicity Department would not let the enemy Department get a week's start of them any more in replying to the peace negotiations in the Lloyd George correspondence.

PRESIDENT

said before the House adjourned there were two matters of finance he would like to lay before them. As they knew in the past the Department of the Boycott was attached on to Labour by accident. He proposed to ask the same member to keep on as Director of the Boycott. He had not asked him directly to keep on but as there was a rule of the Dáil that ratification was necessary and he felt just now that the House should not break up without the necessary sanction of the Dáil being obtained that the late Director should continue the work done so magnificently. It was advisable from many points of view that it should not be attached to any particular Department as it cut across several. If the Director would be willing to act he would be glad to propose that the House would ratify the appointment and perhaps as the Deputy was here now he would give a reply.

JOS. MACDONAGH

said he hoped the President would not mind if he would give his reply in private.

PRESIDENT

said he was rather anxious that the Department should continue its work. He would have that done and bring up the appointment at the next meeting for ratification.

The other matter was that when the Director of Publicity was arrested last February, Mr. Childers was appointed in his place. The Cabinet proposed asking Mr. Childers to retain sectional work either in that Department or in Foreign Affairs Department. They could not lose Mr. Childers' services as they were of extreme value to them and he would like to have the sanction of the Dáil for his appointment. But as the particular Department was not yet mapped out, perhaps, he said, it would be more in order if he moved formally for the ratification of those two members at next meeting.

PRESIDENT moved the adjournment.

MINISTER OF FINANCE seconded. Agreed. D'éirigh an Dáil ar 1 p.m.