Joint Committee on State-Sponsored Bodies: Motion (Resumed).
The following motion was moved by the Minister for the Public Service on 10th November, 1976:
(1) That it is expedient that a Joint Committee consisting of 7 members of the Dáil and 4 members of the Seanad (none of whom shall be a member of the Government or a Parliamentary Secretary) be appointed to examine the Reports and Accounts and overall operational results of State-sponsored bodies engaged in trading or commercial activities (being the State-sponsored bodies referred to in the Schedule hereto), and to report thereon to both Houses of the Oireachtas and make recommendations where appropriate.
(2) That, after consultation with the Joint Committee, the Minister for the Public Service with the agreement of the Minister for Finance may include from time to time the names of further State-sponsored bodies engaged in trading or commercial activities in the Schedule, or delete from the Schedule the names of any bodies which he considers no longer to be State-sponsored bodies engaged in trading or commercial activities.
(3) That, if so requested by a trading or commercial State-sponsored body, the Joint Committee shall refrain from publishing confidential information regarding the body's activities and plans.
(4) That the Joint Committee shall have power to send for persons, papers and records and, subject to the consent of the Minister for the Public Service, to engage the services of persons with specialist or technical knowledge to assist it for the purpose of particular enquiries.
(5) That every report which the Joint Committee proposes to make under this Order shall on adoption by the Joint Committee be laid before both Houses forthwith whereupon the Joint Committee shall be empowered to print and publish such report together with, as it thinks fit, any evidence and other such related documents given to it.
(6) That four members of the Committee shall form a Quorum of whom at least one shall be a member of Dáil Éireann and at least one shall be a member of Seanad Éireann.
Schedule
Aer Lingus, Teoranta; Aerlínte Éireann, Teoranta; Aer Rianta, Teoranta; The Agricultural Credit Corporation, Limited; Arramara Teoranta; Bord na Móna; British & Irish Steam Packet Company Limited; Ceimicí, Teoranta; Cómhlucht Siúicre Éireann, Teoranta; Córas Iompair Éireann; Dairy Disposal Company, Limited; Electricity Supply Board; Fóir Teoranta; Industrial Credit Company, Limited; Irish Life Assurance Company Limited; The Irish National Stud Company, Limited; Irish Shipping Limited; Irish Steel Holdings Limited; Min Fhéir (1959) Teoranta; National Building Agency Limited; Nítrigin Éireann Teoranta; Óstlanna Iompair Éireann Teoranta; Pigs and Bacon Commission; Radio Telefís Éireann; Voluntary Health Insurance Board.
I move amendment No. 2:
In paragraph (1) after "examine the" to insert:
"policy," and in the next line delete "and" between "Reports" and "Accounts".
The Minister is not accepting this amendment and since it involves the insertion of the word "policy" for the reason we have indicated we regard it as of considerable importance.
Question put.
The Dáil divided: Tá, 51; Níl, 60.
Tá
- Barrett, Sylvester.
- Brady, Philip A.
- Brennan, Joseph.
- Breslin, Cormac.
- Briscoe, Ben.
- Colley, George.
- Collins, Gerard.
- Connolly, Gerard.
- Crowley, Flor.
- Daly, Brendan.
- de Valera, Vivion.
- Dowling, Joe.
- Fahey, Jackie.
- Farrell, Joseph.
- Faulkner, Pádraig.
- Fitzgerald, Gene.
- Fitzpatrick, Tom (Dublin Central).
- French, Seán.
- Gallagher, Denis.
- Geoghegan-Quinn, Máire.
- Gibbons, Hugh.
- Haughey, Charles.
- Hussey, Thomas.
- Kenneally, William.
- Kitt, Michael P.
- Lalor, Patrick J.
- Browne, Seán.
- Brugha, Ruairí.
- Callanan, John.
- Calleary, Seán.
- Carter, Frank.
- Leonard, James.
- Loughnane, William.
- Lynch, Celia.
- Lynch, Jack.
- McEllistrim, Thomas.
- MacSharry, Ray.
- Meaney, Tom.
- Molloy, Robert.
- Moore, Seán.
- Murphy, Ciarán.
- Noonan, Michael.
- O'Kennedy, Michael.
- O'Leary, John.
- O'Malley, Desmond.
- Power, Patrick.
- Timmons, Eugene.
- Tunney, Jim.
- Walsh, Seán.
- Wilson, John P.
- Wyse, Pearse.
Níl
- Barry, Richard.
- Begley, Michael.
- Belton, Luke.
- Belton, Paddy.
- Bermingham, Joseph.
- Bruton, John.
- Burke, Dick.
- Burke, Liam.
- Clinton, Mark A.
- Cluskey, Frank.
- Collins, Edward.
- Conlan, John F.
- Coogan, Fintan.
- Cooney, Patrick M.
- Corish, Brendan.
- Cosgrave, Liam.
- Costello, Declan.
- Creed, Donal.
- Crotty, Kieran.
- Cruise-O'Brien, Conor.
- Desmond, Barry.
- Desmond, Eileen.
- Dockrell, Henry P.
- Dockrell, Maurice.
- Donnellan, John.
- Dunne, Thomas.
- Esmonde, John G.
- Finn, Martin.
- FitzGerald, Garret.
- Fitzpatrick, Tom (Cavan).
- Flanagan, Oliver J.
- Gilhawley, Eugene.
- Governey, Desmond.
- Griffin, Brendan.
- Halligan, Brendan.
- Hegarty, Patrick.
- Hogan O'Higgins, Brigid.
- Jones, Denis F.
- Keating, Justin.
- Kelly, John.
- Kenny, Enda.
- Kyne, Thomas A.
- L'Estrange, Gerald.
- Lynch, Gerard.
- McLaughlin, Joseph.
- McMahon, Larry.
- Malone, Patrick.
- Murphy, Michael P.
- O'Brien, Fergus.
- O'Donnell, Tom.
- O'Sullivan, John L.
- Pattison, Seamus.
- Reynolds, Patrick J.
- Ryan, John J.
- Ryan, Richie.
- Spring, Dan.
- Taylor, Frank.
- Timmins, Godfrey.
- Toal, Brendan.
- White, James.
Tellers: Tá, Deputies Lalor and Browne; Níl, Deputies Kelly and B. Desmond.
Amendment declared lost.
I move amendment No. 2a:
In paragraph (1) to delete all words after "commercial activities" and to insert the following:
"referred to in Schedule A hereto and the trading and/or commercial aspects of the Reports and Accounts and overall operational results of the State-sponsored body referred to in Schedule B hereto and to report thereon to both Houses of the Oireachtas and to make recommendations where appropriate."
Amendment agreed to.
I move amendment No. 2a (1):
In paragraph (2) to delete "Schedule; or delete from the Schedule" and to insert:
"Schedules, and with the consent of the Joint Committee and the Minister for Finance, may delete from the Schedules".
Amendment agreed to.
Amendment No. 3 not moved.
I move amendment No. 3a:
In paragraph (3) to delete "trading or commercial".
This is consequential on the changes which are made in respect of Gaeltarra Éireann.
Amendment agreed to.
I move amendment No. 4:
In paragraph (3) to delete "shall" and substitute therefor "may, if it so decides".
Amendment put and declared lost.
I move amendment No. a4a:
In the Schedule, to insert "A" after "Schedule".
This is consequential on the restructuring of the resolution.
Amendment agreed to.
I move amendment No. 4a:
In the Schedule, after "Industrial Credit Company, Limited", to insert "The Irish Gas Board".
This is to bring in the Irish Gas Board or An Bord Gáis Éireann.
Does the insertion of the Irish Gas Board in the English form automatically carry the Irish form on the other side of the Schedule?
It does. It can specify the two names of the company.
The amendment is simply bringing in the English version?
Yes. We are working through the English language at the moment.
And it will automatically carry the Irish version.
Amendment agreed to.
I move amendment No. 5:
At the end of the Schedule to add: "Bord na gCon, Bord na gCapall".
In the light of the amendments which the Minister has moved. I am prepared to withdraw that amendment.
Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.
I move amendment No. 6:
At the end of the motion, to insert:
"Schedule B Gaeltarra Éireann".
This is necessary to complete the introduction of the Gaeltarra Éireann trading and commercial activities.
Amendment agreed to.
Question, "That motion, as amended, be agreed", put and agreed to.
A message will be sent to the Seanad requesting concurrence with this resolution.
I am grateful to the House for its co-operation.
