asked the Taoiseach if he will state the functions and personnel of the Council of State.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Council of State.
The functions of the Council of State are set out in the Constitution. The relevant provisions are contained in Articles 13, 14, 22, 24, 26, 27, 31 and 32, and, as they are readily available, I feel it is not necessary to quote them here.
As regards the personnel of the Council of State, it will be seen from Sections 2 and 3 of Article 31 of the Constitution that the Council consists of:—
(i) Ex-officio members:—
The Taoiseach,
The Tánaiste,
The Chief Justice,
The President of the High Court,
The Chairman of Dáil Éireann,
The Chairman of Seanad Éireann and
The Attorney-General;
(ii) Every person able and willing to act who has held the offices of President, Taoiseach, Chief Justice or President of the Executive Council.
The persons who are at present eligible under this category are:—
Mr. John A. Costello, S.C., T.D., and Mr. William T. Cosgrave; and
(iii) Not more than seven persons appointed by the President. The persons who are at present members of the Council of State by virtue of appointment by the President are:—
Mr. Seán MacEntee, T.D., Minister for Health and Minister for Social Welfare,
General Richard Mulcahy, T.D.,
Mr. William Norton, T.D.,
Senator Dr. Robert P. Farnan,
Sir Cecil W.F. Stafford-King-Harman and
Mr. Patrick J. Little.
Does the Taoiseach not consider it desirable that the functions of this body be made known in view of the fact that the general public has not got a clue as to what those functions are?
That does not arise.