PRIVATE BUSINESS—AMENDMENT OF STANDING ORDERS.

Report of the Joint Committee on Standing Orders (Private Business) on Order No. 40 of the Standing Orders relative to Private Business.

1. Do bhreithnigh an Có-Choiste an Rún leasuithe seo a leanas a rith Dáil Eireann an 19adh Márta, 1924:—	1. The Joint Committee considered the following amended Resolution passed by Dáil Eireann on the 19th March, 1924:—
“That Order No. 40 of the Standing Orders for Private Business be referred to the Joint Committee on Private Business to be reconsidered and that the Joint Committee be requested to report any amendments therein which may be desirable.”
2. Molann an Có-Choiste Ordú a 40 do leasú mar leanas:—	2. The Joint Committee recommend that Order No. 40 be amended as follows:—
Na focail “agus is é a shighneoidh” do chur isteach i ndiaidh an fhocail “dhéanfaidh” i line 2;	To insert after the word “made” in line 3, the words “and shall be signed”;
Na focail “ina chéimneach Innealtóireachta do phríomh-scoil údarásach, agus taithí trí mblian iarchéime aige nó” do leigint ar lár i ndiaidh an fhocail “bheith” i line 9.	To leave out, after the word “Engineer” in line 8, the words “a graduate in Engineering of a recognised university, with three years' post-graduate experience or.”
	JAMES G. DOUGLAS
	Cathaoirleach an Chó-Choiste.

PADRAIG O MAILLE

Is mían liom an tuarasgabhail seo a chur ós comhair na Dála agus tá súil agam go glachaidh na teachtaí uilig leis. The Standing Order, as amended, would read:—

Every plan, specification or estimate required to be deposited under these Standings Orders shall be drawn or made, and shall be signed by a competent person. If an architect, such person shall be a licentiate, associate or fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects or a member or fellow of the Royal Institute of Architects in Ireland; or if an engineer a member or associate member of the Institution of Civil Engineers of Ireland, or the Institution of Civil Engineers or a member or associate member of the Institution of Electrical Engineers or of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

Professor THRIFT

I wish to place on record my dissent from the second of these two proposals. It is with great regret that I would oppose any recommendation of a Committee which has gone very carefully into a matter that has been referred to them by the Dáil, but I do very strongly feel that it is my duty to oppose this recommendation. The reference to the Committee arose, I think, from a proposal to introduce into the Standing Order recognition of an Associate of the Royal College of Science. To that personally I should have no objection whatever, but I fail to follow the Committee in their accompanying that by a withdrawal of a recognition which they had previously granted to university graduates of practical experience and practical standing. It seems to me to be quite a wrong line to take. We support universities; they have been endowed and given certain powers and functions. One of these functions is to give qualification for professional work, provided such qualification is accompanied by practical work in the profession under consideration. This one is the work of engineering. It seems to me to be a mistake to give such a function to a university on the one hand, and then to withdraw it on the other as soon as ever a case arises in which that qualification might be put to practical use. I know it will be said in reply that the university graduate can get such recognition by joining one of the societies that are mentioned in the remaining part of the Standing Order, but I do not know whether all the members of the Committee think that they ought to sit on the Labour Benches and belong to trade unions. I personally am not supporting—in fact I am disapproving of any such hidden attempt to compel professional men to belong to their own Trade Unions. It seems to me the effect of this proposal of the Committee will be that it will compel university men, before they can get proper advantage from the qualifications they obtained, to become a member of one of these societies. The societies are very good, and I am a very strong advocate of these societies, but I do not believe in that sort of compulsion being put on engineers or any other professional men to join such societies. I do not know what kind of support these views will get in the Dáil, but I do believe it is incumbent on me to give such expression to them as I can give, and to express my own very strong dissent from this recommendation of the Committee.

Question put and declared carried.

Dáil Éireann debate - Tuesday, 20 May 1924