As Government Chief Whip I would like to place on record my appreciation to the Opposition Whips for their co-operation in completing some very necessary business this week.
Supplementary Estimates, 1992. - Business of Dáil.
I acknowledge the remarks of the Government Whip in this regard. We were happy to facilitate the passage through the House of a number of very important Bills as a matter of urgency.
As the longest serving member of the Fine Gael Party, I would like to say a word to the two former Taoisigh who are leaving the House. I thank them for their comradeship and friendship and for their service to the House. While Deputy Haughey, who is now on the backbenches, and I disgreed down the years, it is recognised that we had a particular friendship, and my association with Deputy Garret FitzGerald goes back to 1965. I want to put on record my deep appreciation of the service given to this House by both men.
As the matter has been mentioned, it was my intention when opening the Adjournment debate to pay tribute to my predecessor, Deputy Haughey, and to a previous Taoiseach, Deputy Garret FitzGerald, both of whom have signalled their intention to leave public life, each having devoted his entire life to the service of the Irish people and the Irish nation. In politics we do not agree with everybody all the time no matter on what side of this House we find ourselves, but it must be recognised that both these Deputies have given their all in the service of the Irish nation, and history will record that.
I thank Deputy Harte for taking this initiative; it is good teamwork and that is the way I intend to run the country. I join with the Taoiseach in paying a hearty tribute to both Deputy Haughey and Deputy Garret FitzGerald. I have crossed swords with Deputy Haughey, as has practically everybody on this side of the House from time to time, but he is a person who had a large sense of his Office and of the destiny of this country. He will be missed in this House. I would like to express my appreciation particularly for the career of my colleague and close friend, Deputy Garret FitzGerald. Not only did he have great qualities of statesmanship but he was a warm personality. It was always a pleasure to work with him.
I will be as fulsome as possible in my comments. On behalf of the Parliamentary Labour Party I would like to be associated with the remarks made by the Taoiseach and other Deputies. I had my differences with both former Taoisigh, some publicly and some privately, but I wish them both a happy retirement. They made an enormous contribution not only to this House but to this country and I wish them well in their retirement. This House will miss both Deputies enormously. I would also say a special word, on his departure, to my colleague, Deputy Michael Moynihan, a senior member of the Labour Party who has made an enormous contribution in Kerry and outside it.
We should not forget Deputy Jackie Fahey.
I am sure Deputy Paddy Harte did not expect to precipitate this outburst of good feeling prior to a confidence debate. It is appropriate that we pay tribute to Deputy Haughey, Deputy FitzGerald and indeed Deputy Moynihan who have indicated they are retiring from active public life. I have no doubt they will have an influence on public life even outside this House in any activity they may take up. It is likely that we will be commiserating with other Deputies who may not be re-elected. Nevertheless, it is appropriate, that, regardless of party allegiances, we recognise, and pay tribute to those Deputies for the service they have given in the public interest.
On behalf of the Progressive Democrats I would like my party to be associated with the tributes to the outgoing Deputies, particularly the former Taoisigh, Deputies Charles Haughey and Garret FitzGerald. My party would like to be associated with the expression of appreciation for the service they have given the country in their various capacities down the years. We wish them a happy retirement. We would also like to be associated with the tributes to other Deputies who have announced their intention not to stand for re-election and we wish them well. These people are voluntarily leaving this House, but I would also like to express the same wish to those who may have to leave the House involuntarily.
As perhaps the only Deputy who has been here during all the time of Deputy Haughey and Deputy Fitzgerald, on my behalf and on behalf of my colleagues on this backbench I wish both Members great happiness and a fruitful life in what I hope is only technically their retirement — candidly I do not believe in retirement and have no intention of retiring. I did not agree with these Deputies a great deal of the time, but anybody who has given years of service, as they have, must be saluted. I wish them well.
It would be unfair to omit other outgoing Deputies who will not be contesting this election — for instance, Sir, your old sparring mate and mine, Deputy Jackie Fahey. The Deputy told me he will not be standing for election, but I will. On an occasion such as this people may be omitted and Deputy Fahey is one of these people, as is Deputy Fergus O'Brien and perhaps others, not to mention all the casualties along the way.
Long may this very fine spirit prevail, it is in strict accord with the very best traditions of this House. Before coming to the debate on the confidence motion. I should like to refer briefly to the proceedings of the tribunal of inquiry on the meat industry, for the guidance of Members, as it is likely that its proceedings will be referred to in the course of this debate.
In accordance with long standing precedent, the sub judice rule has been applied to the proceedings of the tribunal. However, in view of the primacy attached to a motion of confidence, it would be unreasonable to apply the sub judice rule to the extent that there would be a serious imbalance in this important debate between the inherent right of the Dáil to debate matters of public importance on the one hand and the necessity to ensure that such a debate would not prejudice the proceedings of the tribunal on the other. Accordingly, a passing reference may be made to the factual matters which have come before the tribunal in so far as they are relevant to this debate provided, of course, that the references do not constitute a real and substantial danger of prejudice to the proceedings of the tribunal or reflect on the independence of its chairman.
Members may recall that, in my ruling on the motion of confidence on 16 October last year, the application of the sub judice rule was relaxed in a similar manner in relation to the issues then before the House and it did not lead to any difficulty. Accordingly, I trust my remarks clarify the position and will be of assistance to the Members participating in the debate.