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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 23 Jul 1952

Vol. 133 No. 11

Committee on Finance. - Leinster House Incident.

I have to ask your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to raise a matter of very great import as regards the proceedings of this House, the dignity of its procedure and the privileges of its Deputies. It is with very great regret, indeed, that I have, once more, to direct your attention and the attention of the Dáil to a very gross breach of privilege. I had occasion on the 31st January last, I think, to draw your attention to an assault committed on a Deputy of this House by another Deputy. On this occasion, I regret to say that the matter is even more serious. A very short time ago a Deputy belonging to the Fine Gael Party was assaulted by a member of the Government. He was in the precincts of this House, near the Inquiry Office, when by accident, he happened to meet the Minister for Education. He put a query to him with reference to a letter that he had written about a matter concerning one of his constituents. It was reported to me that the Minister made an offensive remark, whereupon Deputy S. Collins walked away. He was followed by the Minister for Education who made another observation — also of an offensive character. Deputy S. Collins walked down the steps outside the entrance to Leinster House whereupon the Minister assaulted him physically. The Deputy warded off the blow and proceeded to walk towards his car in which a visitor awaited him. The Minister for Education took off his glasses and proceeded to follow the Deputy.

These are the facts as reported to me and, if they are in any way approaching a correct account of what occurred, it does not need any words of mine to emphasise the gravity of the situation and the threat not merely to the privileges of members but to the democratic institutions of the Dáil. I would ask you, therefore, a Chinn Chomhairle, without entering into any further discussion, yourself personally to investigate this matter as one of the highest import for every private Deputy in this Dáil and for the preservation of the decorum of the proceedings of the Dáil and the respect which our proceedings must have from the people.

This, of course, is a matter which perturbs me and every Deputy of this House. It will require a good deal of examination to find a satisfactory solution. Every Deputy is anxious that the decorum of this House should be preserved and that it should be free from any taint. All I can say to the House at the present moment is that I will endeavour to find out what are the facts of the case and deal with the circumstances within the powers conferred on me by this House.

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