Dé réir na mBuan-Orduithe, is é an chéad ghnó eile ná Ceann Comhairle a thoghadh. Glacfaidh mé anois le tairiscintí. In accordance with Standing Orders, the next business is the election of a Ceann Comhairle, and I shall now receive motions.
Election of Ceann Comhairle.
Cléireach na Dála
I should like to propose for the consideration of the House the name of Deputy Tom Fitzpatrick, a long standing Member of the House, indeed a Member of the Oireachtas for over 20 years, whose knowledge of the Standing Orders of the House is comprehensive if not encyclopaedic, which he has often demonstrated in discussions with the Chair. I believe that in the Chair he would be a fair and firm Ceann Comhairle who would add to the dignity and decorum of the House.
I would like formally to second the nomination of Deputy Tom Fitzpatrick as Ceann Comhairle.
I tried to catch the Chair's eye and was on my feet to propose the name of Deputy John O'Connell for election as Ceann Comhairle but unfortunately I did not catch your eye. It is my privilege to propose Deputy O'Connell for Ceann Comhairle for the second time, last March being the previous occasion. I move this motion because of Deputy O'Connell's undoubted experience not only during the previous one-and-a-half years under two different administrations but, as is on the record from previous proposals of his name when he was elected, because of his experience as a Member of the House, his knowledge of the procedure, his membership of other bodies such as the Corporation, the IMA, and also of the Irish Transport and General Workers' Union. I hoped in making that proposal, and this is the reason I was so anxious to get in first, that as was the case last March the incoming Taoiseach, who was then the outgoing Taoiseach, would have seconded this motion as he did on that occasion when he said that he seconded the motion not just formally but warmly and that he endorsed everything I had said, recommending Deputy O'Connell for this position.
Deputy O'Connell during his short term as Ceann Comhairle, although with great experience under two administrations, brought a new dimension to the office of Ceann Comhairle which was much appreciated by all Members. His door was open to any Member to go to him — many Members did this—to discuss and consult with him the various aspect of the procedures which at times cause aggravation in the House. For this reason and because of the qualities Deputy O'Connell has displayed over the years as a Member of the Houses and as Ceann Comhairle, particularly during the last one-and-a-half years, I propose that he be elected to the position of Ceann Comhairle.
I would like formally to second Deputy Blaney's proposal and to endorse the sentiments he has expressed.
On behalf of the Fianna Fáil Party I would like to say that we support the nomination of Deputy John O'Connell for the Chair. In addition to the many personal qualities which Deputy Blaney has outlined we are also conscious of the fact that the Leader of the Fine Gael Party, Deputy FitzGerald, on two separate occasions proposed Deputy O'Connell to the House as being the most suitable Deputy in our ranks for the Chair. In fact it was Deputy FitzGerald who first proposed Deputy John O'Connell as Ceann Comhairle and I recall, like Deputy Blaney, the warm way in which Deputy FitzGerald seconded my proposal of Deputy O'Connell on the last occasion. I believe it would contribute to the satisfactory and mature carrying on of our business in the House if we could all agree unanimously to select the outgoing Ceann Comhairle to be renominated as our Ceann Comhairle.
Cléireach na Dála
Tá mé ag cur na ceiste go dtoghfar an Teachta Tomás MacGiolla Phádraig agus go rachaidh sé i gceannas na Dála anois mar Cheann Comhairle. I am putting the question that Deputy Tom Fitzpatrick be elected and do now take the Chair of the Dáil as Ceann Comhairle.
Question put.
The Dáil divided: Tá, 86; Níl 80.
Tá
- Allen, Bernard.
- Barnes, Monica.
- Barrett, Seán.
- Barry, Myra.
- Barry, Peter.
- Begley, Michael.
- Bell, Michael.
- Bermingham, Joe.
- Birmingham, George Martin.
- Boland, John.
- Bruton, John.
- Bruton, Richard.
- Burke, Liam.
- Carey, Donal.
- Cluskey, Frank.
- Collins, Edward.
- Conlon, John F.
- Connaughton, Paul.
- Coogan, Fintan.
- Cooney, Patrick Mark.
- Cosgrave, Liam T.
- Cosgrave, Michael Joe.
- Griffin, Brendan.
- Harte, Patrick D.
- Hegarty, Paddy.
- Hussey, Gemma.
- Kavanagh, Liam.
- Keating, Michael.
- Kelly, John.
- Kenny, Enda.
- L'Estrange, Gerry.
- McCartin, Joe.
- McGahon, Brendan.
- McGinley, Dinny.
- McLoughlin, Frank.
- Manning, Maurice.
- Mitchell, Gay.
- Mitchell, Jim.
- Molony, David.
- Moynihan, Michael.
- Naughten, Liam.
- Nealon, Ted.
- Noonan, Michael. (Limerick East).
- Coveney, Hugh.
- Creed, Donal.
- Crotty, Kieran.
- Crowley, Frank.
- D'Arcy, Michael.
- Deasy, Martin Austin.
- Desmond, Barry.
- Desmond, Eileen.
- Donnellan, John.
- Dowling, Dick.
- Doyle, Avril.
- Doyle, Joe.
- Dukes, Alan.
- Durkan, Bernard J.
- Enright, Thomas W.
- Farrelly, John V.
- Fennell, Nuala.
- FitzGerald, Garret.
- Fitzpatrick, Tom.
- Flaherty, Mary.
- Flanagan, Oliver J.
- Glenn, Alice.
- O'Brien, Fergus.
- O'Brien, Willie.
- O'Donnell, Tom.
- O'Keeffe, Jim.
- O'Leary, Michael.
- O'Sullivan, Toddy.
- O'Toole, Paddy.
- Owen, Nora.
- Pattison, Séamus.
- Prendergast, Frank.
- Quinn, Ruairí.
- Ryan, John.
- Shatter, Alan.
- Sheehan, Patrick Joseph.
- Skelly, Liam.
- Spring, Dick.
- Taylor, Mervyn.
- Taylor-Quinn, Madeline.
- Timmins, Godfrey.
- Treacy, Seán.
- Yates, Ivan.
Níl
- Ahern, Bertie.
- Ahern, Michael.
- Andrews, David.
- Andrews, Niall.
- Aylward, Liam.
- Barrett, Michael.
- Barrett, Sylvester.
- Blaney, Neil Terence.
- Brady, Gerard.
- Brady, Vincent.
- Brennan, Mattie.
- Brennan, Paudge.
- Brennan, Séamus.
- Briscoe, Ben.
- Browne, John.
- Burke, Raphael P.
- Byrne, Hugh.
- Byrne, Seán.
- Calleary, Seán.
- Colley, George.
- Collins, Gerard.
- Conaghan, Hugh.
- Connolly, Ger.
- Coughlan, Clement.
- Cowen, Bernard.
- Daly, Brendan.
- De Rossa, Prionsias.
- Doherty, Seán.
- Fahey, Francis.
- Fahey, Jackie.
- Faulkner, Pádraig.
- Fitzgerald, Gene.
- Fitzgerald, Liam Joseph.
- Fitzsimons, Jim.
- Flynn, Pádraig.
- Foley, Denis.
- Gallagher, Denis.
- Gallagher, Pat Cope.
- Geoghegan-Quinn, Máire.
- Gregory-Independent, Tony.
- Harney, Mary.
- Haughey, Charles J.
- Hilliard, Colm.
- Hyland, Liam.
- Kirk, Séamus.
- Kitt, Michael P.
- Lemass, Eileen.
- Lenihan, Brian.
- Leonard, Jimmy.
- Leyden, Terry.
- Lyons, Denis.
- McCarthy, Seán.
- McCreevy, Charlie.
- McEllistrim, Tom.
- Mac Giolla, Tomás.
- MacSharry, Ray.
- Molloy, Robert.
- Morley, P.J.
- Moynihan, Donal.
- Nolan, M.J.
- Noonan, Michael J. (Limerick West)
- O'Connell, John.
- O'Dea, William.
- O'Hanlon, Rory.
- O'Keeffe, Edmond.
- O'Kennedy, Michael.
- O'Leary, John.
- O'Malley, Desmond J.
- Ormonde, Donal.
- O'Rourke, Mary.
- Power, Paddy.
- Reynolds, Albert.
- Treacy, Noel.
- Tunney, Jim.
- Wallace, Dan.
- Walsh, Joe.
- Walsh, Seán.
- Wilson, John P.
- Woods, Michael.
- Wyse, Pearse.
Tellers: Tá, Deputies Barrett(Dún Laoghaire) and Taylor; Níl, Deputies B. Ahern and Briscoe.
Question declared carried.
Cléireach na Dála
Iarraim anois ar an Teachta Tomás Mac Giolla Phádraig, Comhalta do Dháil Ceantar An Cabhán-Muineacháin, dul i gceannas an 24ú Dáil Éireann. I now call on Deputy Tom Fitzpatrick, member for the constituency of Cavan-Monaghan, to take the Chair of this 24th Dáil.
Whereupon Members rose in their places and remained standing while the Ceann Comhairle proceeded to the Dais.
Standing beside the Chair, the Ceann Comhairle, addressing the Dáil said:
Tuigim go maith gur mór an onóir atá tugtha agaibh dom. Tá a fhios agam freisin go mbaineann dualgais leis an onóir sin agus déanfaidh mé mo dhícheall iad uile a chomhlíonadh. Ta súil agam go gcabhróidh gach Teachta agaibh liom é sin a dhéanamh. Geallaim díobh go bhfaighidh gach duine agaibh cothrom na féinne uaim. Guím beannacht Dé oraibh agus ar bhur gcuid oibre.
I deeply appreciate the great honour that has been conferred upon me by Deputies here today in electing me your Ceann Comhairle. I appreciate the honour that it is but I am also very conscious of the heavy duties and responsibilities that this office and honour carry with them. This House is the power house of our democratic system and the first priority of Members of the House should be to uphold and preserve the dignity of the House. Secondly, the duty of the Ceann Comhairle is to rule impartially as between parties and as between Deputies. I feel I can rely on the goodwill which I am humble enough to say I have had from all sides of the House to assist me in carrying out these duties. I hope when it comes to my time to lay down the office of Ceann Comhairle that the goodwill which I have enjoyed as a Deputy up to now will still be alive and kicking. The undertaking I give is within the Standing Orders valid for the time being. I will do my best to preserve the dignity of the House and be impartial to all sides.
Might I let you in on a little personal snippet? Today I have attained my parliamentary majority. At 3 o'clock on 14 December 1961 I became a Member of the Oireachtas when I took my seat in Seanad Éireann. That is exactly 21 years ago. It was the practice in older times to give young people in a house the key of the door on reaching their 21st birthday. Instead you, my colleagues, today have given me control of this gong. Let me hope that the gong will be used sparingly, usually, and I hope invariably, to announce the results of votes. It is my intention to use it sparingly. Thank you very much.
I should like to take this opportunity to wish you many years of happiness in your present position. I know your task is not an easy one but I feel that, with your experience, you will carry it out with the great dignity it deserves. I thank my proposer and seconder and my supporters for supporting me.
A Cheann Comhairle, déanaim comhghairdeas leatsa as do thoghadh mar ár gCeann Comhairle agus cuirim fáilte romhat go dtí an Chathaoir agus tréaslaím leat freisin as ucht 21 bliain san Oireachtas seo.
I congratulate you, Deputy Fitzpatrick, on your election as our Ceann Comhairle—and I use the words "our Ceann Comhairle" advisedly—and welcome you to the Chair. The effectiveness of this Dáil and the efficiency with which we can conduct our affairs rest in very large measure in your hands and on your shoulders. I want to assure you, Sir, of our full co-operation in your difficult task.
We hear much these days about Dáil reform. I would like to suggest to the House and to you, Sir, that the greatest reform we could bring about would be the restoration of good order in this House, and also full restoration of your authority in the Chair. Over a period of years, unfortunately, the situation in this regard has steadily deteriorated. We have had increasing disorder, procedural wrangling, arguing with the Chair, and, in many cases, an abuse of the point of order mechanism. I believe we should decide now to make a major effort at the start of this Dáil to reassert the authority of the Chair and the orderly conduct of our business. We will co-operate fully with you in such an effort and I hope you will decide to undertake it.
In particular I hope, with the agreement of all Deputies, you will insist that the Chair's word will be final and that arguments with the Chair, wrangling or challenging your authority will not be tolerated. You can be assured that my party will do everything in our power to bring about such a situation and to co-operate fully with you in asserting that authority.
Sir, again I congratulate you on your majority in the Oireachtas and on your election to this high, important and distingushed office of Ceann Comhairle, and I welcome you to the Chair of Dáil Éireann.
I would like to join the Leader of the Opposition——
(Interruptions.)
Wait for it.
——to be, I should have added, in congratulating the Ceann Comhairle and to say I agree heartily with all he said about the House. The responsibility for a deterioration in the order in the House is shared by all and it will require a united effort, in which we shall join, to restore the order and dignity of the House which is of great importance in ensuring respect for institutions. I believe, you, Sir, will make a major contribution to that and we will endeavour to do so. I am very glad to hear what has been said by the other side of the House also.
Ba mhaith liom comhgairdeas a ghabhail leat chomh maith ar son Pairtí an Lucht Oibre faoin onóir atá bronnta ort inniu.
I would like, Sir, to congratulate you on behalf of the Labour Party on your achievement of the high office of Ceann Comhairle. We in the Labour Party are confident that you will bring dignity to that office and that you will exercise your discretion in this House in a manner which will be dignified and to the benefit of conducting business here. Given your professional training and background, Sir, I am sure your requests will be taken as having the effect of law in this House.
Thar ceann Pairtí na nOibrí ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur romhat mar Cheann Comhairle agus a rá go mbeidh gach cabhair ag dul chugat ón phairtí seo.
On behalf of The Workers' Party I wish to say that you will have our full co-operation and we are glad to see you in the Chair.
As the person who brought about a vote on your appointment as Ceann Comhairle, may I convey my sincere hopes not just for a happy time in the Chair — I do not think it is possible to have a happy time in the Chair — but that you will preside over this House for years and that you will reflect the dignity of the Parliament to which we all belong.
May I mention something we have in common? It will probably surprise some people that we have anything in common but when you mentioned reaching your majority in the Oireachtas today, it reminded me that, if I am not mistaken, I signed the role in this House also on 14 December, but 34 years ago.
Ba mhaith liomsa a dhéanamh soiléir duit go mbeidh gach comh-oibriú ag dul chugat uaimse agus a rá go gcuirim fáilte romhat san phost nua atá agat.
I want to thank the Deputies who congratulated me and gave me such encouragement — Deputy O'Connell, Deputy Haughey, Deputy FitzGerald, Deputy Spring, Deputy Mac Giolla, Deputy Blaney and Deputy Gregory. I thank them for their congratulations and particularly for the words by Deputy Haughey about the manner in which the House should be run and the assurance I received from him on behalf of his Party that I will have their co-operation. I repeat my assurance to the House that I will interpret and enforce Standing Orders with the utmost impartality. Thank you very much.