Mary Harney
Question:4 Miss Harney asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the time-frame being set in respect of the consideration of the report of the Constitution Review Group by the all-party committee on the Constitution. [12648/96]
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Constitution Review Group Report.
On 10 April 1996, I wrote to the Deputy and to the Leader of Fianna Fáil enclosing a document setting out the Government's proposals on the establishment of the all-party committee. In the document it was suggested the committee might bring forward an interim report on specific sections of the Constitution in early 1997 and a full and final report as soon as possible thereafter. In my further letters of 30 May to the Deputies, I stated that when the committee met, it could consider its programme of work, including the possibility of interim reports.
The Deputy will appreciate that it will be a matter for the committee to determine its programme of work. While I am confident it will be expeditious in its deliberations, I do not wish to set a time for the completion of its work other than what I have already stated.
I should add that consideration of the report of the Constitution Review Group is but one of a number of matters to which the committee will have regard in its full review of the Constitution.
Has the composition of that committee been agreed and when does the Taoiseach envisage it will hold its first meeting?
All we are awaiting is names from some parties and I do not expect there will be any great delay in that regard. As soon as the names are submitted, we will set up the committee. I acknowledge the Deputy's party has furnished the name of its representative.
Will the Taoiseach agree it is desirable that every Member of this House should have the report of that committee to read rather than have to read about it in the newspapers? It is frustrating to read of matters in the newspapers about which one does not have the relevant information.
I agree with the Deputy that it is undesirable that documents should not be published in full at the same time for everybody.
When will it be published?
It will be published before the end of this month.
Will outside expertise be available to the committee to assist it in its deliberations?
It will have some outside expertise, but the principle source of outside expertise is contained in the very substantial document it will have received from the expert committee which, to a great extent, has done all that type of work. The committee will be called upon principally to make political judgments about the appropriateness of certain proposals.