I have two brief announcements to make before we proceed. Today marks the 100th anniversary of the death of Cathal Brugha, who was a crucial figure in the post-Rising reorganisation of the Volunteers and Sinn Féin. He was the Ceann Comhairle at the first sitting of Dáil Éireann and President pro tempore until Éamon de Valera returned after imprisonment in April 1919. He was also Minister for Defence during the War of Independence. Brugha was elected for Sinn Féin in the historic 1918 general election for the Waterford county constituency and was one of just 24 Deputies present to convene the First Dáil. He was subsequently returned to the Second Dáil in May 1921 to represent the Waterford-Tipperary East constituency. Opposed to the Anglo-Irish Treaty, he was elected in June 1922 as an anti-Treaty Sinn Féin Deputy. As a new study by Daithí Ó Corráin and Gerard Hanley makes clear, Brugha fought and died in a civil war he had tried to prevent. His legacy in establishing Dáil Éireann lives on today. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.
Pursuant to Standing Order 5 of the Standing Orders of the Dáil and the Seanad relative to private business, I wish to announce that the Cathaoirleach of the Seanad and I have jointly nominated the Leas-Chathaoirleach of the Seanad to be chair of the Joint Committee on Standing Orders for Private Business.