Before moving the motion on the Order Paper, I beg leave to state, for the information of the Dáil, that Deputy Patrick Smith having placed in my hands, for submission to the President, his resignation from office as a member of the Government, the President, on my advice, accepted the resignation with effect from 8th October, 1964.
Deputy Smith's resignation as a member of the Government automatically terminated the assignment to him of the Department of Agriculture, and on the same date, I terminated the former assignment of the Department of Justice to Deputy Charles Haughey and assigned the Department of Agriculture to him. I assigned the Department of Justice to myself as a temporary arrangement.
On the same date, the Government appointed Deputy Brian Joseph Lenihan, then Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Lands, to the office of Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Justice, and, on 20th October, 1964, they appointed Deputy George Colley to the office of Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Lands, with responsibility for Fisheries, in succession to Deputy Lenihan, with effect from 21st October, 1964.