Before we commence business, I want to mention briefly an issue that arose last week out of exchanges between the Taoiseach and the Leader of the Opposition in order to avoid any further disorder today. I preface my remarks by saying my overriding consideration in dealing with this is to maintain the efficient running of the House. We need to get on with the business of administering the affairs of the State rather than arguing endlessly over how we administer the affairs of this House. The public will not thank us for doing so.
Deputy McDonald has made a complaint that the Taoiseach accused her of "telling lies". The essence of the Taoiseach's response is that he did not make such remarks. He says he accused the Deputy of telling untruths. By way of context, the Taoiseach in his response further references many instances where members of the Opposition, none of whom include Deputy McDonald, used the word "liar" or variations thereof in the previous Dáil without sanction.
We have to take the matter of the use of language seriously and on that basis I am taking the following steps: I will bring all correspondence to the Committees on Procedure and Privileges for their consideration in the broader context of standards in the use of parliamentary language as reference has been made to the liberal use of the word "lie" in the previous Dáil and I am now also laying the correspondence before the Dáil, which effectively is publication for Members. I understand the use of bad language was addressed or examined in 2010 and a report was drawn up by the then Committee on Procedure and Privileges and was circulated to Members of the House. As a starting point, I will have that report circulated to all Members and further have it examined by the CPP to see if it needs to be restated and made fit for purpose for the Thirty-Fourth Dáil.
We now move on to the business of the day.
