asked the President what steps, if any, he proposes to take in regard to candidates duly returned to serve as members of Dáil Eireann who sit and vote as such without having first taken, as stated by him to Dáil Eireann, the Oath provided for by Article 4 of the Treaty and Article 17 of the Constitution.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Deputies and the Oath.
asked the President if, in view of his statement to Dáil Eireann that he and 70 other candidates returned to serve as members of Dáil Eireann and now acting as such have not as yet taken the Oath provided for by Article 4 of the Treaty and Article 17 of the Constitution, it is now intended to withdraw the Constitution (Removal of Oath) Bill, 1932, as that measure would now appear to have been negatived on the Second Reading by a large majority of the members of Dáil Eireann qualified to vote thereon.
I propose to take Questions 1 and 2 together. It has been duly certified that all members of the Dáil have complied with the requirements of Article 17 of the Constitution. No action of the kind indicated by the Deputy will be taken.
Arising out of the President's answer may I ask him, in view of his previous statement that 71 Deputies had not complied with Article 4 of the Treaty or with Article 17 of the Constitution, if it is proposed that these Deputies should continue to sit in this House on the faith of certificates which the President himself declared false?
I have already informed the Deputy that all members of the Dáil have been duly certified as having complied with the requirements of Article 17 of the Constitution and I propose to take no further action on the matter.
The President has declared that these certificates are false.