The Sessional Committee of Selection set up by the Dáil met this morning, and nominated the following Deputies to act on the Special Committee to consider the circular entitled "Wireless Broadcasting" mentioned in the Order of the Dáil,— namely, Deputies McCarthy, Sean McGarry, W. Magennis, R. S. Beamish, S. Milroy. W. Thrift, T. Johnson, N. Wall and Darrell Figgis, with the Leas-Cheann Comhairle as Chairman. The Committee of Selection recommends that the quorum of the Special Committee be five, and that the first meeting take place after the Dáil adjourns this evening.
NOMINATION OF COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER THE “REPORT ON WIRELESS BROADCASTING.”
May I ask, as Deputy Wall is not present, that we might substitute the name of another Deputy to take his place?
The Committee is prepared to substitute anybody who will be found acceptable; but I may state that Deputy Wall was put on because he was nominated by the representatives of the Farmers' Party.
But we had a communication since then to say that he is unable to be here.
I have no objection to the appointment of anybody else. I only wish, as I say, to point out that it was on the nomination of the representative of the Farmers' Party that Deputy Wall was put on.
It is rather the view of Committees, hitherto, that substitutes should not be approved, and that the desirable course is to approve of the Report with the amendment suggested by Deputy Gorey.
I think the Committee of Selection has power to discharge Deputies and to appoint others. I think that is one of its powers under a motion passed here in the Dáil.
That would need another meeting of the Committee.
Yes, that, would need another meeting; but we have no power except to send back to the Committee a suggestion for another name. I think the Report should be approved, as it stands, and let the other name be taken up by the Committee.
Surely the Dáil is superior to any Committee, including the Committee of Selection, and can, when occasion arises, overrule them? You can hardly put a Committee into the position of being above the judgment of the Dáil altogether.
I quite agree. All I said was that the work of nomination should be done on a suggestion to the Committee rather than that the Dáil should do it. There is no question of a Committee being superior to the Dáil.
May I suggest that the interests of order will be served by referring this back with the instruction to substitute the name of Deputy Hogan for that of Deputy Wall? Then the Committee can meet at once and decide accordingly.
Yes; a quorum of the Committee could be found easily, and for this purpose the Committee could meet for a few minutes.
When does the first meeting of the Committee take place?
I think I said already when the Dáil adjourns this evening.
I take it that Deputy Hogan can attend the meeting?
I think so.
Ordered: That the membership of the Special Committee be increased to ten; that the Leas-Cheann Comhairle be appointed to the Committee and be its Chairman, and that the first meeting of the Committee be held to-day.