If Deputy Dillon will be good enough to allow me to intervene at this stage, it is my duty to interrupt the business for the purpose of drawing the attention of the House and particularly your attention, a Cheann Comhairle, to a gross breach of the privileges of this House and of a particular Deputy and possibly of other Deputies of the House which occurred in the precincts to-night. The incident is one which is of very grave and particular importance and is even more serious from the point of view of the order and dignity of Parliament. To-night, after the discussion which took place on the motion to adjourn this House on the conclusion of its proceedings to-day until next Wednesday week——
Private Deputies' Business. - Dáil Restaurant Incident.
I do not know whether the Chair got any notice.
Yes, and I have given notice to the Taoiseach.
Deputy Costello was good enough to tell me that he was going to raise the matter.
After the close of the debate which took place this afternoon to adjourn this House until this day fortnight, Deputy O. Flanagan was in the restaurant talking to another Deputy, Deputy Dillon, when a member of the Fianna Fáil Party, Deputy Flynn, came behind him, caught hold of him, turned him round, used a very offensive and obnoxious expression and struck him violently in the mouth, alleging that he had during the debate spoken about him, Deputy Flynn. He also assaulted an usher, one of the servants of the House, and was guilty of extremly offensive conduct. He also made offensive references to another Deputy, Deputy Collins.
There is no necessity for me, a Chinn Chomhairle—and I am sure you will agree—to underline the importance of dealing with a matter of that kind. I would make no comment on it at the moment. I have tried to give you and the House a bare outline in as objective a fashion as I can of the complaint that was made to me. As leader of the Opposition it then became my duty to inform you, so that you, a Chinn Chomhairle, would take the necessary action and direct the proper steps to be taken. It is a matter entirely for you, as custodian of the privileges of this House, its dignity, its decorum and its order. It is not for me to suggest the course to be taken. If I were to suggest any course I would say that it is a matter entirely for you, a matter so serious that it can only be dealt with by the Ceann Comhairle in person, a matter of such great consequence that action must be taken, and in view of the long adjournment of the Dáil I think it is my duty to inform you.
I am obliged to Deputy Costello for bringing to my notice this incident.
It was partially reported to me during the afternoon. I have not had time to investigate the matter fully; I have not had time to see the script of the proceedings previous to the incident which happened in the restaurant; and have not had time to see Deputy Flynn. I think it is a matter in which the Committee on Procedure and Privileges might very well help in the maintenance, as Deputy Costello says, of the dignity and decorum of the House. In the present circumstances, I can only say that, so far as lies in me, I will see that there will not be any interference with any Deputy in the discharge of his duties, and that the whole matter will be fully investigated within as short a time as possible.
Mr. Costello
I am greatly obliged to you, Sir.
Major de Valera
Will the Ceann Comhairle take into account the provocative personal remarks which were made——
Are we going to have a debate on this?
Major de Valera
——remarks which were deleted from the record?
Is the Deputy trying to justify an assault on a member of this House?
There is only one answer to a common perjurer who abuses everybody here day after day.
Major de Valera
Will the Ceann Comhairle take these remarks into account is all I ask? They were remarks which were expunged from the records.
He does nothing but blackguard everybody here.
Just as the Minister for Finance does.
This matter has been brought to my notice in order to preserve the dignity and decorum of the House by Deputy Costello, Deputy Dillon and Deputy Flanagan. I assume that the Government are just as anxious to maintain the dignity and decorum of the House as any other portion of the House.
That is so.
I want to assure them that, so far as lies in me, fair play will be given to each side in this incident. I can only make the suggestion I have made, that the Committee on Procedure and Privileges would lend their aid in this matter. I should also like to suggest now that cross-fire such as we have listened to is not likely to add to the dignity and decorum of the House in relation to any incident.
May I ask your permission to make one remark? Deputy Costello has quite fairly put before the House——
Is this going to be a debate?
I respectfully suggest that there should be no further discussion on this matter. Otherwise, it will be necessary for me to go into it further.
On a point of order, Deputy Costello has related the incident as it was related to him. I am not questioning Deputy Costello's good faith. I only want to say without entering into the incident——
Is this a point of order?
Is there going to be a debate on this?
I must hear the Deputy's point before I can know whether it is a point of order or not. I am not a mind reader.
I only want to say, in view of the fact that what Deputy Costello has said goes on the records now —and possibly the newspapers will report what was said—without casting any reflection on Deputy Costello's good faith in the matter, that what Deputy Costello has said is not in accordance with the facts.
I refrained deliberately in regard to what Deputy Briscoe has stated from putting any gloss on the matter at all. I now want to say that my information is that it was an entirely unprovoked attack.
The Deputy was not present; I was.
A deliberate attack.
You caused it.
I wish to say that Deputy Costello's statement is not a true picture of the incident.
Deputy Flynn will have an opportunity of making that statement in another place. Deputy Dillon, on the motion.
Mr. Dillon rose.
It is only starting.
"Only starting"—note those words.
That is right—if they continue their blackguardism.
It is the third attempt you have made to smash free speech in this country and you will fail again.
Is that a threat or a promise?
It is a threat, and it is the third time they have made it.