Before resuming the Order of Business, Sir, I would be very grateful to you, as chairman of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, if you would enlighten me as to what machinery is available to me to challenge the legality of the composition of that Committee?
Constitution of Committee on Procedure and Privileges.
The Committee on Procedure and Privileges is appointed by the House through the Committee of Selection.
Is there no machinery available to me to challenge its constitution, in view of the very serious motion on the Order Paper for the sole purpose of preventing our small group from putting down a motion for discussion in Private Members' time?
The House is always available to the Deputy by means of motion.
May I ask the Taoiseach if he would be prepared at this stage to investigate the methods used to appoint the present Committee on Procedure and Privileges?
The Committee was appointed by vote of the Dáil.
Is it not a fact that the Taoiseach stated here our group were represented on this body? In view of the fact he knows now we are not represented, will he not have an inquiry held?
I cannot allow this to proceed.
Might I suggest that the Deputy put down a vote of censure on Dáil Éireann?
We want to know what skullduggery went on behind the scenes to keep us off of it. The Deputy's hands are not clean.
We understand, Sir, that you are responsible for the items that appear on the Order Paper. We believe you possibly are not aware of the fact that there is a motion on the Order Paper, the purpose of which is to deprive us of the right——
There is nothing on the Order Paper I am unaware of.
——of putting down a motion for discussion in Private Members' time. We would just ask you to investigate the legality of the constitution of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.
The House did not appoint any of the Deputy's group.
We were given to understand that representation would be given to us. As you now state, no representation has been given to us. May we investigate the reason why that decision was taken behind the scenes?
The House is supreme; the House is sovereign.
The Deputy is constantly enhancing his popularity with the other members.
Is there any other way of handling this matter? This motion deprives us of the right of moving a motion, in which case it is no use to say to us that we have the right to move a motion of censure on the Taoiseach or the members of the Opposition. There is no way in which we can appeal against this decision trying to suppress our point of view.
This is all pure blatherskite.
Perhaps the Deputy would describe it as all cod?
We are protecting you from the consequences of your folly.
(Interruptions.)
I provided proper safeguards for all Deputies in the Committee to which I was elected by this House. Deputy Sherwin said frequently that he represented you.
Nonsense. The Deputy knows perfectly well that he dropped one of his own members in order to prevent us having representation.
Could we ask Deputy Sherwin who appointed him to represent us?
Yes, yes, yes.
I was appointed after the Independents were consulted.
This cannot be allowed to proceed. The Deputy will resume his seat.
All we wish to say is that we were not consulted.
I am calling the next business—Local Government (Sanitary Services) Bill, 1962, in Committee.