Skip to main content
Normal View

Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 3 Oct 1923

Vol. 5 No. 4

SESSIONAL COMMITTEE OF SELECTION.

Before the next Order is taken up, I would like to know what has been done about the Sessional Committee of Selection. It has not met, and I would like to know when and where it is to meet.

I understand that a meeting of the Committee is being called for 11.30 a.m. to-morrow. It was originally contemplated that it would meet this morning, but owing to the religious services held this morning it was thought that the meeting could not be held, and, therefore, no notices were sent out. It is proposed that the Committee should meet to-morrow morning at 11.30, if that would meet the convenience of Deputies, or if the Deputies on the Committee would meet immediately after the adjournment of the Dáil they could decide it themselves.

Do I understand that notices have been sent out? It is most important that they should.

Notices have not been sent out. It was thought necessary to consult Deputies who are on the Committee this afternoon, and if 11.30 a.m. to-morrow suits them notices will be sent out.

I suggest that notices should be sent out in future for every such meeting.

I suggest that the Committee should be asked to meet immediately the Dáil adjourns. I know that some Deputies cannot attend to-morrow at 11.30.

Notices are always sent out for meetings of Committees or for the summoning of which I am responsible. I am not responsible for the summoning of this Committee, and I rather deprecate the suggestion that notices which should have been sent out were not sent out. I can assure Deputy Captain Redmond that notices are always sent out for meetings which it is our business to summon. It is the business of Deputies appointed on this Committee to meet, and it is necessary to have a very full meeting, because the quorum is very high. It was therefore necessary to wait until this evening, when Deputies met together, in order to fix a proper time for the meeting.

Might I suggest, sir, that you would exercise your great influence, if not ex cathedra at any rate outside, and have notices sent out for every meeting. I fully realise that you are not responsible in any way for this Committee.

I agree to the suggestion of Deputy Hughes, that a meeting of this Committee might be convened for this evening. A fixture at 11.30 a.m. to-morrow would clash with a private meeting of our party. We can meet after the adjournment or even while the Dáil is sitting.

I understand that it is not the intention of the Government to proceed with the Committee stage of The Courts of Justice Bill this evening.

That is so.

In that case we will adjourn in five or ten minutes. If it would be more convenient for Deputies on the Committee to meet now in the Ministerial Committee Room upstairs, we will supply them with a Clerk, and they could proceed with the business at once, or fix a date for another meeting.

Unless they are all present I suppose there cannot be a meeting as it was not called?

Top
Share