I would like to ask if the President intends to make a statement in regard to the Army Inquiry, and if so, at what time?
THE ARMY INQUIRY COMMITTEE REPORT.
No; I have only issued the statement, and the Executive Council has not considered the Report yet, so I am not in a position to make a statement on it now. But if it is desired I will allow a day during the week, so as to give opportunity for a discussion on the matter.
Can the President state whether the demobilisation of fourteen officers which he announced on Friday was in consequence of any recommendations of the Army Inquiry Committee, as there is some misconception on the subject?
No, it was not in consequence of any recommendations made by the Army Inquiry Committee.
I would like to ask the President to allow me some time to-day in which I, personally—and there may be others interested—would have some opportunity of making a statement in reference to this inquiry, the Report of which is published to-day. He will appreciate the fact that the three General Officers concerned with myself in this inquiry, have not sought any publicity of any kind in spite of a certain amount of provocation brought about by published statements and by non-published statements or whispered statements. I do not think it is fair, in view of some things which I see in this Report which has been handed to me—or should I say, obtained by me in the Clerk's Office at a quarter to three o'clock to-day—to persons who have endeavoured to conduct themselves in the matter of this inquiry in the way in which we have, that this Report would get publication to-day, and that it would have 24 hours start at least of anything that any of us would have to say on the matter. I am relying on the Dáil for publicity. I do not want to go into any series of publications about this matter, but I would ask the President to realise my position at any rate, and to grant me some time this evening to make some remarks which I feel I have to make on this Report as it stands at present.
I propose to allot to the General any hour which he would himself select to-day, if an hour would be sufficient. If he thinks more would be required, I am prepared to allow that.
I certainly will not require more than one hour, because certainly my comments on it will be restricted by the fact that I have only just seen it, and that I do not wish to rush the Report, except on matters that I consider of rather vital importance. I do not want in any way to interrupt the business of the Dáil, and I would be prepared to take half an hour sometime late this evening, say at the adjournment.
It seems to be a matter that requires a decision first as to the form that such statements, or shall I say, an initiation of such a discussion might take. It might well initiate a discussion, and I would suggest that it is a matter of urgent public importance, and that we had better adopt that form, so that at a certain hour, as fixed by Standing Orders, you would take a motion from Deputy Mulcahy.
I understood that Deputy Mulcahy was anxious to make a statement, and it would be for him subsequently if he thought fit to table a motion. I thought he merely meant to make a statement now. If he is quite agreeable, I am prepared to allow him to make the statement at 9.30.
It must be remembered that Deputy Mulcahy may make a statement, or any other Deputy may make a statement, which would be required to be followed by another Deputy's, unless it is in the nature of a personal explanation. Once a discussion has opened, a closure cannot be put on any one Deputy's statement.
I feel that what I have in mind may place other Deputies, perhaps, in an unfair position. I am looking at the matter from a purely personal point of view. I do not want the report to get a 24 hours' start of some remarks that I want to make on it. That is really the position from my point of view. I have no doubt Deputy Johnson will appreciate that point of view. While I really am seeking a certain privilege in this matter, I do not want to cut across the privileges of any other Deputy. The comments I have to make on the Report, as far as the Dáil is concerned, would be more in the nature of raising the matter on the adjournment.
May I suggest that the procedure suggested by Deputy Johnson would be the best to adopt, because it gives 1½ hours' discussion in a normal sitting. That would be, say, from 7 to 8.30. If the President agrees to take the matter on at 9 that would give us to 10.30, or if it is taken at 9.30 the discussion could go on until 11. That would be within the Standing Orders, and would give a fair opportunity to everybody to be heard. After Deputy Mulcahy has spoken it probably will be necessary for some one to put the point of view of the Committee before the Dáil.
I was about to make a similar suggestion. If the President allows this matter to be raised at 9.30 it could go on until 11 o'clock. Deputy Mulcahy would have a right to half an hour after the time fixed for the adjournment. If the President would give him an additional hour of Government time we could have a discussion from 9.30 to 11 or from 9 to 10.30.
Can this be taken as an opportunity for a discussion on the Army Enquiry Committee report that the President indicated he would allow time for?
No.
This discussion is quite different from any discussion on a motion which may be tabled in this connection. Does that satisfy Deputy Johnson?
I am satisfied if Deputy Mulcahy is allowed to make a personal statement. I suggest that we ought to decide now what form the statement should take, whether or not it is to be a personal statement. If it is a criticism of the Report, that inevitably involves further speakers. We ought to understand the procedure now, and I think the proposal to take a motion for the adjournment would be the simplest method to adopt.
Order for adjournment, then, to be taken at 9.30 to enable Deputy Mulcahy to make a statement.
Will Deputy Mulcahy only be allowed to make a statement? (Deputies: "No, no.")
That is a question for the Ceann Comhairle to decide, and not for Deputies. The Ceann Comhairle said that the adjournment is to be taken at 9.30 to enable Deputy Mulcahy to make a statement. Is it to be confined to General Mulcahy?
I understand that an hour-and-a-half is to be given to this matter, and I would not like to contemplate any one Deputy making a statement for an hour-and-a-half.
I would not risk making a statement of an hour-and-a-half's length on a matter that I know practically nothing of at the moment.