The first item on the agenda is the election of a new Chairman. I now call for nominations.
Election of Chairman
Clerk to the Committee
I propose Deputy Gerry Buttimer for the role of Chairperson. His work ethic and tenacity will bring great enthusiasm to the body of work we will have to do for the next couple of years. I take pleasure in nominating him.
Clerk to the Committee
Is there a seconder?
I second that nomination. One of the benefits of Deputy Buttimer being in the Chair is that there will be one less heckler on this side. I know he has a strong work ethic and is committed to health issues, so I am happy to second his nomination.
I regret that Deputy Denis Naughten is not in a position to continue in his role as Chair of the committee. He was a fair and honourable choice. In the short time we had under his stewardship, he demonstrated his fairness and capacity for the job. I would have preferred that Deputy Naughten would have been in a position to continue in his role. He has demonstrated his honour and commitment to those who have elected him and his sense of justice for health care delivery across this State. That said, I recognise the proposition before us and do not intend to challenge or counter it in any way. I wish Deputy Buttimer well in this new position. A colleague of his in Government referred to heckling, but I will not mention that at all.
Deputy Buttimer took the Chair of the committee yesterday for the first direct engagement in the revised Estimate with the Minister for Health and the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. I acknowledge that he conducted the business of the committee well and fairly. On that basis we now have a sense of his stewardship. I wish him well in his new role.
With no disrespect to Deputy Buttimer, I am sure he will make a fine Chairman of this committee. As Deputy Ó Caoláin said, he did a fine job here yesterday. However, I find it unacceptable that, as has been reported, the former chairperson, Deputy Naughten, should be forced to leave the Chair of this committee. It reflects a certain disrespect for the committee. That said, I wish Deputy Buttimer well.
I echo those remarks and voice my support for Deputy Buttimer who, I am sure, will do a really wonderful job. As an outsider to the party system, I have to say how irrational it looks that an individual who had the support of this committee at its inaugural meeting and was elected to the chairmanship of this committee, has now, because of an internal party matter, been deemed to be unsuitable to continue in the role. Issues like this have the danger to undermine Irish democracy.
Clerk to the Committee
Do I take it that there are no other nominations for the position of Chair?
Correct.
Clerk to the Committee
In that case, I deem Deputy Buttimer elected and call on him to take the Chair.
Deputy Gerry Buttimer took the Chair.
Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil le gach ball as tacaíocht a thabhairt dom. I thank members of the committee for bestowing on me the honour of being Chairperson. It is a privilege and an honour. I regret that I am being elected Chairperson under difficult circumstances, but I thank Deputy Regina Doherty and Deputy Robert Dowds for proposing and seconding me. I thank all members of the committee for their support.
As the new Chairperson it is my aim to work in a spirit of genuine partnership and co-operation with all members to ensure that we carry out the committee's business in a fair, open and transparent manner.
I thank the committee secretariat, including the Clerk to the Committee, for their great work. Our committee is an important one. As we saw yesterday, it serves two important Departments: the Department of Health and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. In recent weeks, both Departments have been at the centre of public attention. They are concerned with sensitive and emotive areas in which people depend upon the Government to act fairly.
I hope that in its work the committee will be focussed on, and conscious of, patient safety and the delivery of health services which comply with best modern practice. At all times we must recognise the needs of the people who have put us in here to ensure that health facilities and services are safe and of the highest standard.
In the past week, the Cloyne report has highlighted the importance of children's rights. The committee will have an opportunity to work with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to ensure prioritisation of the proposed referendum on children's rights, and that all arms and bodies of the State will comply fully with the Children First guidelines.
As Chairperson, I hope the committee will engage and actively address issues of public concern, focussing on areas of policy development, and the implementation and delivery of services which are of benefit to the wider society, rather than just sectoral interests.
I thank members of the committee and hope that we will work in a non-partisan spirit of co-operation. I pay tribute to Deputy Naughten and wish him well. I thank him for being here this morning.
I propose that we now go into Private Session. Is that agreed? Agreed.
The joint committee went into private session at 11.50 a.m. and adjourned until 2 p.m. until 11 a.m. on Thursday, 21July 2011.