We have on the Order Paper three Committees to be chosen to-day. There has been some discussion on the matter during the adjournment, and the President, I think, has a suggestion to make.
QUESTIONS ON THE ADJOURNMENT. - APPOINTMENT OF SESSIONAL SELECTION COMMITTEE.
I think it is the general opinion that Committees set up by the Dáil should bear as close a resemblance to the constitution of the Dáil as is reasonably possible. The Committee to be elected to make recommendations as to Ministers who shall not be members of the Executive is, in my view, a suitable body to make suggestions with regard to the appointment of other Committees, and the ballot which has just taken place ought to be a very fair reflex of the opinions of Deputies. It occurred to me, on seeing on the Order Paper the appointment of three Committees, that that would mean three other elections, if we were to get the same reflex as we hope to get from the ballot that has just taken place, and in consultation with the Ceann Comhairle, I pointed out that while some Deputies might be perfectly willing to act on some Committees they might not either like the work of other Committees, or possibly would not be able to afford the time. I would suggest, therefore, to the Dáil for its consideration that the nomination of members to act on the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, the Committee on Standing Orders for Private Bill business, and the House Committee should be left to this Committee that will be elected to-day.
In that way I think the various sections in the Dáil will get fair representation, and if it should happen, by accident, that any party might get more than its due share, our experience in the old Dáil was that there was always a readiness to give and take with regard to these matters, the real underlying idea with all here being to get Committees appointed which would be as near as possible to what might be called the least common multiple of the whole Dáil. I suggest, accordingly, that this Committee, which will make recommendations as to the Ministers who shall not be members of the Executive Council, should nominate the Committees which are set out under headings 3, 4, and 5 on the Order Paper.
I think the suggestion of the President is a workable one and that it ought to give satisfaction. I will support him.
I was going to suggest that it might be desirable that the principle that the President has stated should be extended further, and that the Committee to be elected to-day should continue as a Committee of Selection, not only for the three Committees referred to, but for any subsequent Committee desired by the Dáil, and that they should forward nominations and remain during the whole of this Session in existence as a Committee of Selection.
We are quite satisfied with the suggestion made by the President. We think it is a workable suggestion and we agree to it.
There will be no difficulty about making it a Sessional Selection Committee.
Very good. I move: "That Deputies elected to the Committee to make recommendations in accordance with Article 55 of the Constitution, be appointed a Sessional Committee of Selection with power to nominate Deputies to serve on any Special Committee that it may be deemed necessary to set up throughout the Session; that the quorum of the Committee be seven."
I second.
Question put and agreed to.