asked the Minister for Finance whether he is aware that the Commission of Inquiry into Banking has decided that they shall meet in private, and that there shall be no immediate publication either of documentary evidence submitted to the Commission, or of the reports of proceedings at which oral evidence is tendered by witnesses, and if he will state whether a verbatim report of oral evidence will be taken, and if he will make arrangements to supply in confidence to any member of the Oireachtas who may require it a copy of all evidence, whether documentary or oral, tendered before the Commission not later than a fortnight after it has been placed before the Commission or tendered orally.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Evidence at Banking Commission.
I have no information regarding the working of the Commission of Inquiry into Banking beyond what is available to the general public. I understand, however, that the Commission has issued a Press notice stating that meetings to hear evidence will be held in private, but that it is intended (in the absence of an express arrangement to the contrary with witnesses) that all evidence received shall be published in due course in conjunction with the report. It should be appreciated that, though the Commission of Inquiry has been established by me, it has a complete discretion as to the manner in which it shall conduct its proceedings, and I have no authority to give it directions regarding the taking of oral evidence at meetings or on any other matter. In the circumstances, I regret that I cannot adopt the suggestion made in the Deputy's question.
When the Minister says that he understands the idea is to publish certain evidence in conjunction with the report, are we to understand from him that that evidence will not be published until the report is published?
I would refer the Deputy to the answer I have already given.
I would ask the Minister whether he is not in equally as good a position as any Deputy who makes inquiry from the Commission to know that the Commission have decided that for the present they will meet in private and that there will be no immediate publication of the evidence. In view, however, of the importance of the subject; of the responsibilities that will rest particularly on Deputies; of the interest taken in the matter by the public, and of the desirability of the trend of the evidence given before the Commission and of the trend of the inquiry itself being understood by the public, will the Minister approach the Commission and urge upon them the necessity——
Is that a speech, Deputy Dillon?
——will the Minister approach the Commission and urge upon them the necessity for publishing all the evidence that may be published at the earliest possible moment and, particularly, will the Minister——
The Deputy knows that, according to the Standing Orders, a question should be brief and the same applies to supplementaries— that they should be as brief as possible. The Minister says he has no jurisdiction in the matter.
I would ask the Minister if he did not set up this inquiry for a particular purpose because of the public interest; if he does not understand the necessity for the public knowing the trend of the inquiry itself and the trend of the evidence at the earliest possible moment; and if, in these circumstances, he will arrange with the Commission to publish the evidence at the earliest possible moment, and, particularly, to have it available for Deputies?
The best method of replying to the Deputy, possibly, would be to refer him to the answer I have already given; but may I reply also by asking the Deputy a question? It is an Irishman's answer. Is he aware of the fact that the procedure which he suggests is a most extraordinary one and never was adopted in regard to any commission?
I am aware of no such thing. I am aware that in connection with nearly every important Commission set up there was a verbatim report taken and it was made available to the Press and, particularly, made available to Deputies.
Did that apply to the Bankers' Commission you set up?
Does the Deputy suggest that it did not?