asked the Minister for Defence the reasons why the Council of Defence has not met since 10th July, 1958; and, in particular, what changes have occurred since that date compared with earlier years.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Council of Defence.
28.
The Council of Defence has not met since 10th July, 1958, because a meeting of the Council since that date has not been considered necessary.
In the earlier years the statutory authority for the Council provided for at least one meeting of the Council every six months. Since 1st January, 1955, however, the Defence Act, 1954, which contains the statutory authority for the Council, the purpose of which is to aid and counsel the Minister, provides that it shall meet whenever summoned by the Minister.
It may be mentioned that in the earlier years it was the practice to ask the Council to consider many proposals ranging over a wide variety of aspects of the Department's work but, with the build-up over the years of a code of legislation, regulations and administrative procedures, the necessity for asking the Council to meet at frequent or regular intervals no longer arose. In recent years, as I have said, the need has not arisen to convene formal meetings of the Council of Defence. In this connection, I might mention also that the Minister has ready access, both collectively and individually, to the persons who are members of the Council.
Arising out of the Minister's reply and having regard to the very unsteady and uncertain state of world affairs, does the Minister not consider it would be appropriate for him to obtain the aid and counsel of the Council of Defence, instead of relying entirely on his own individual whims? If it be, as he said, that he meets these persons individually, why does he not meet them collectively in order to get their joint advice? Furthermore, why did he think it unnecessary to obtain the advice and assistance of the Council of Defence before he began this recent pruning of the Defence Forces and a reduction in personnel?
The Council of Defence consists of the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence, the Secretary of the Department of Defence and the three military members, namely, the Chief of Staff, the Adjutant General and the Quarter-master General. They are readily available to the Minister for Defence, collectively and individually, for consultation.
What has happened to justify a departure from the procedure that has existed for 35 years whereby this Council met as a council to deliberate on problems before it? For the past eight years, they apparently have never met together.
When they met, they used to discuss for example, regulations and administrative matters. We have had a build-up, over the years, of legislation, administrative procedures and regulations and there is very little on which the advice of the Council of Defence as such, is required.
Would the Minister consider bringing them together to see if there is a need to change this apparently now sacrosanct body of regulations and legislation, particularly having regard to the ever-changing circumstances of the times, or else would he disband it?