JOINT COMMITTEE ON INVESTIGATIONS, OVERSIGHT AND PETITIONS debate -
Wednesday, 29 Feb 2012

Business of Joint Committee

Chairman

Tá quorum againn ag an bomaite, so táimid chun feidhmiú i seisiún poiblí. I remind all present, including members of the media and those in the Gallery that mobile telephones and BlackBerry devices must be turned off completely because they interfere with the sound system even when in silent mode. Undoubtedly, one will go off later on in the meeting anyway. I note we will have a new member of the joint committee as Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl will replace Deputy Dara Calleary. I thank the latter for his contribution to, and work in, the committee to date.

The joint committee will be pleased to welcome Ms Paulyn Marrinan Quinn, SC, Ombudsman for the Defence Forces, who will brief members on the work of her office. We will await her arrival.

Deputy Charles Flanagan

Is this joint committee awaiting a sitting of another committee regarding its terms of reference? I take it all that has been done.

Chairman

The Committee on Procedure and Privileges has met to discuss the Standing Orders but, as proposed, a letter was sent from this committee last week to ascertain whether the Chairman and Vice Chairman could appear before the Committee on Procedure and Privileges in an effort to discuss the power of requiring people, papers and records for investigations into non-ombudsman related inquiries. We are yet to receive a reply from the CPP. We should receive a reply from it within the next few days.

Deputy Charles Flanagan

It is all very lengthy.

Chairman

Is is disappointing because we were hoping to have the entire process up and running in February. I believe the Committee on Procedure and Privileges met in the last couple of weeks.

Senator Susan O’Keeffe

I seek clarification in this regard. I sit on the Committee on Procedure and Privileges for the Seanad. I have attended its meetings and unless this matter was discussed at the single meeting I missed, I have no recollection of it being discussed.

Chairman

We will discuss this matter under any other business, if that is acceptable. As the joint committee's visitor is present, members might take advantage of this opportunity. However, we certainly will go through the detail under any other business.