The first and only item on the agenda is the election of a Chairman to replace Deputy Cregan who has been appointed assistant Government Whip and was discharged from membership of the committee today by order of Dáil Éireann. I call for nominations.
Election of Chairman.
Clerk to the Committee
I propose my colleague Deputy M. J. Nolan.
I second that proposal.
Clerk to the Committee
As there are no other nominations, I invite Deputy Nolan to take the Chair.
Deputy M. J. Nolan took the Chair.
I thank members for electing me Chairman of this committee and pay tribute to the outgoing Chairman, Deputy Cregan, for the work he has done since his appointment. I look forward to working with all members of the committee. I have been briefed by the clerk and seen the committee's work programme, a substantial document. I hope we will be able to get through it. I look forward to members' co-operation. This is an important committee and we have much important work to do.
I wish the Chairman well in his new position and take the opportunity to thank Deputy Cregan for his time in the Chair. I would not have known him at all if it were not for this committee. I found him helpful and a bit of fun while being able to get through the workload. I wish him well in his new appointment as assistant Chief Whip. He need not bother trying to whip me into line, as I will be voting against him every time. However, one never knows; we may vote in the same direction on the odd occasion. I again wish the Chairman well and thank Deputy Cregan for his time in the Chair. All I can say is that it was enjoyable.
I congratulate Deputy Nolan and wish him a good term in the Chair. I join my colleague Deputy D'Arcy in complimenting the outgoing Chairman, Deputy Cregan. I found Deputy Cregan at all times to be extremely helpful, scrupulously fair and courteous. The hallmark of his time in the Chair was his extreme courtesy to all members of the committee. He was an absolute gentleman about everything and, as Deputy D'Arcy said, did things in a light-hearted way while being serious about getting the business of the committee done. He was very focused on business, as well as having a light-hearted, pleasant approach. We are very grateful to him. I warmly congratulate him on his promotion and wish him well.
I am sorry I was not here a few minutes earlier; if I had been, there could have been a vote. The Chairman can be safe in the knowledge that we would not have voted against him. I wish him well and I am sure we will have a positive working relationship. I have known him for some time outside the work sphere as well as in it and know he will be balanced and fair to all parties. This is an important committee which deals with many major policy issues and I look forward to getting stuck into many of them with the Chairman. The work is interesting but also carries a significant responsibility for members who must hold the Minister to account regarding his large policy portfolio.
I also thank the previous Chairman. Deputy Cregan has been around the Houses for a long time, although I did not get to know him particularly well until he took over the chairmanship of this committee. As other members have remarked, he was a very good Chairman and I wish him well in his new role. I hope he will find it more challenging in dealing with the Opposition than may have been his experience at this committee. However, I am sure it will be both exciting and interesting for him. We shall keep a good relationship with him.
I wish Deputy Cregan the best in his new position. If he moves as fast as he did from Chairman to assistant Government Whip to his next move, he will be in the Cabinet before he knows where he is. He should keep it up.
I look forward to working with the new Chairman. From where I sit, he has a great team, a formidable one with very efficient and pleasant individuals. He will receive great guidance from the girls. Mr. Faherty might help him the odd time but the ladies will certainly keep him on the right foot. We all look forward to working together and it is great to think we are one big happy family. Long may it last.
I thank the Chairman and members for the kind compliments which are undeserved. I was fortunate to have enjoyed the courtesy and co-operation of all members at all times and tried to reciprocate as best I could and also to carry out my duties in that spirit. We got through our business thoroughly and I tried to be as impartial as possible at all times. I am sure the new Chairman will continue in that vein. He has been around a long time and brings a wealth of experience to the position. It will stand the committee in good stead.
I enjoyed my short tenure in the Chair. I have been asked to move on to perform other duties and I look forward to that challenge. I again thank all the members for their co-operation and help. I also thank the Vice Chairman, Deputy Kelly, who stood into the breach on a number of occasions. I offer my thanks to the clerk to the committee who is a mine of information. He was always there to guide me along the way and I am sure he will do the same with the new Chairman. I thank sincerely all the ladies on clerk's staff for their support and co-operation. I wish the committee well in its future dealings.
I join other members in wishing Deputy Cregan well in his new role as assistant Government Whip. In doing so I also welcome Ms Lorna Cahalan, a new committee staff member.
The joint committee adjourned at 1.25 p.m. until 9.30 a.m. on Wednesday, 18 June 2008.