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
Ba mhaith liom an Teachta Seán Treacy a ainmniú chun bheith in a Cheann Comhairle mar iarrthóir aontaithe na bpríomh páirtithe sa Teach seo.
I wish to nominate Deputy Seán Treacy for the position of Ceann Comhairle as the agreed candidate of the main parties in this House.
I wish to second that nomination. I do so, as the Taoiseach has said, pursuant to an all-party agreement, but it would be inappropriate to make as important an appointment as this without referring to the distinguished qualities of the person being proposed.
As the House may be aware, Deputy Seán Treacy first stood for election to this House in 1957 and was first elected in 1961. He is now one of the most senior Members of the House. He has also been a Member of the European Parliament and has exercised his role as Ceann Comhairle with great dignity. I might particularly single out his work when representing this country abroad. Any of us who travelled with him, representing this House overseas, will have recognised not only the great care he took to ensure that the dignity of this country and of this House were always upheld but also the personal concern he showed for the welfare of all Members on such delegations.
It is also worth reflecting — and I am sure that in his own mind as a Clonmel man this would be an even prouder achievement on his part — that on two occasions he served as Mayor of the historic borough of Clonmel.
In this House it is the responsibility of the Ceann Comhairle to maintain order and to ensure the expeditious dispatch of public business. Obviously, this can and must be done at all times with a light touch. It is not necessary at all times to enforce the rules rigidly. In fact frequently it is necessary to allow people to speak their minds briefly even if that is not strictly in accordance with the rules, in order that all of us in this House are given an opportunity to say what has to be said when it needs to be said and, if necessary, to reply without delay to whatever is said.
I hope that the Ceann Comhairle, in his office, will have an opportunity to work with other Members of this House to reform this institution because this House is badly in need of reform. The fact is that much of the legislation passed through this House is not examined line by line nor is much of the public spending approved by this House examined line by line. I hope that with the assistance of the Ceann Comhairle, as Chairman of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges we on all sides of the House will be able to reform this institution so that it can conduct its business more thoroughly than has been the case in the past.
It is in that spirit, appreciating his qualities and respecting a tradition followed on many occasions in the past when an outgoing Ceann Comhairle has been returned, I have the honour to join the Taoiseach in seconding the nomination of Deputy Seán Treacy as Ceann Comhairle of this House.
Cléireach na Dála
Tá mé ag cur na ceiste: "Go dtoghfar an Teachta Seán Treacy agus go rachaidh sé i gceannas na Dála anois mar Cheann Comhairle. I am putting the question: That Deputy Seán Treacy be elected and do now take the Chair of the Dáil as Ceann Comhairle."
Question put and agreed to.
Cléireach na Dála
Iarraim anois ar an Teachta Seán Treacy, Comhalta do Dháilcheantar Thiobraid Árann Theas, dul i gceannas an 27ú Dáil Éireann. I now call on Deputy Seán Treacy, Member for the Constituency of Tipperary South to take the Chair of this 27th Dáil Éireann.
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:
A Theachtaí, is mian liom mo bhuíochas ó chroí amach a ghabháil le gach éinne daoibh mise a bheith ar ais sa Chathaoir mar Cheann Comhairle. Is mór an onóir dom agus geallaim daoibh go ndéanfaidh mé mo dhícheall chun cothrom na Féinne a thabhairt do gach éinne daoibh. Guím rath Dé ar an obair.
A Theachtaí, this is the fourth occasion on which this House has honoured me with the high office of Ceann Comhairle. I value that honour very highly. It is a very great privilege to preside over this great democratic Assembly and I am grateful to the Taoiseach and to my esteemed parliamentary colleague of long standing, the Leader of the Fine Gael Party, Deputy John Bruton, for their kind words.
I bring to the Office of Ceann Comhairle great experience of parliamentary assemblies throughout the world and I am privileged to have been in this House in continuous membership for 31 years and privileged, moreover, to occupy the Office of Ceann Comhairle for well nigh ten years with varying Governments, coalition Governments, single party Governments and minority Governments, and did so in times, as the House well knows, of great difficulty and turmoil.
I assure Deputies that I will strive earnestly to prove worthy of the honour conferred on me once again today. I realise the awesome responsibilities that go with that office. I, therefore, crave Deputies' co-operation so that I may fulfil the task to the pleasure and satisfaction of all the Members of this House.
The older, perhaps senior, Members of this House know what to expect from me.
(Interruptions.)
I would like to persuade my friend and colleague Deputy John Bruton that I shall strive not to be heavy handed, but the senior Members know full well what to expect of me. It will be administration without fear or favour as it has been in the past.
Deputies
Hear, hear.
The newly elected Members of this House, whom I welcome, will find in me a friend and adviser and my office will always be at their disposal for guidance and advice. In that regard, we have arranged to furnish Deputies with an information file outlining their entitlements, rights, duties and obligations. This is the first time that has been done. I hope Deputies find it helpful because I know the difficulties and the trauma of coming here, finding one's way and settling into an assembly of this kind. There is also a video tape to back up that information service which Deputies may view at their leisure.
I should like to advise the House further, that I have instructed that the rules of the Chair — these are precedents adopted by me and all my predecessors in the Chair — be brought up to date and I have instructed that when this booklet is ready — I understand it shall be ready soon — it will be available to all Deputies so that the Members will be better prepared than ever before to get down to the business of the House. Fellow Deputies, that business is grave, urgent and compelling. The people who elected us look to us now for Government, for good Government, and in that noble task and duty may God inspire you. Ar aghaidh linn leis an obair in ainm Dé.
The next business is item No. 4, the nomination of Taoiseach. I will now receive the motions.