I wish to draw your attention to a matter which appears to be a breach of privilege in an article in a magazine entitled This Week in Ireland.
Question of Privilege: Magazine Article.
Has notice been given of this?
Will the Deputy resume his seat?
Has notice been given of this? Are you going to allow the Minister for Justice and Parliamentary Secretaries to stand up here and make statements while we are not allowed to do so? Has notice been given of this?
The Parliamentary Secretary has given the Chair notice.
The article to which I refer attributes certain statements which reflect on the Chair to Deputy O'Brien. It appears to me that the article constitutes a breach of privilege and I would ask you to rule on the matter.
We do not know what it is all about.
I have seen the article in question and I find that there is a prima facie case of breach of privilege, and I take it that the Parliamentary Secretary will now move a formal motion to refer the matter to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.
Could we have the courtesy of being told the name of the publication?
May I point out to Deputy Corish that it is not permissible to discuss the subject matter until it goes to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges?
On a point of order, why should we be asked to agree to a motion when we do not know anything about it? I do not know what document the Parliamentary Secretary is referring to.
It is a magazine called This Week in Ireland, dated 12th December, 1969. I understand it was published on Friday last. The heading of the article is: “The Ceann Comhairle is biased. Conor Cruise-O'Brien talks to Liam Mac Gabhann.”
Quote the rest of it.
(Interruptions.)
We cannot have a discussion on the matter.
I move:
That the matter be referred to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges for investigation and report.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary say if he has any evidence that what is quoted in the document is correct?
That will be a matter for the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.
This is something which the Chair is now ruling must go before the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. Would the Ceann Comhairle say if there is any evidence that the person, who is supposed to have written this article, exists?
It is a matter for the committee to investigate the complaint. I have given my decision that there is a clear prima facie breach of privilege.
As it may be to the benefit of the House that the Chair's impartiality should be discussed by the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, we are inclined to welcome it.
Could we have the name of the magazine from which the Parliamentary Secretary is quoting?
This Week in Ireland.
Is it a fact that Deputy O'Malley's brother is editor?
That is irrelevant.
Question put and agreed to.