Seanad Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 21 Dec 1983

Vol. 102 No. 9

Electoral (Amendment) Bill, 1983. - Joint Committee on Legislation: Motion.

Mr. Ferris

I move:

That the terms of reference of the Joint Committee on Legislation, constituted pursuant to the Order of Dáil Éireann of 6th July, 1983, and the Order of Seanad Éireann of 7th July, 1983, be amended as follows:

"(i) by the substitution for paragraph (1) (a) of the following:

‘to invite submissions in writing, or orally if considered necessary by the Committee, from interested persons or bodies on Bills or other proposals for legislation (other than measures arising out of or relating to the Budget) referred to it by either House on Motion made by or with the consent of a Member of the Government and to provide a record of its discussion of same for the information of each House, and if necessary for this purpose to take evidence in public from such interested persons';

(ii) by the insertion of a new paragraph as follows:—

‘(13) That the Joint Committee shall have power to print and publish from time to time minutes of evidence or the hearing or oral submissions, taken before it pursuant to paragraph (1) (a).'."

Mrs. Robinson

When the terms of reference of these various committees were being discussed last July, a number of us felt that there was a lack of standardisation, that each set of terms of reference was drafted by the Department or the individual responsible and that there was a lack of overall standardisation. It is important that a committee like this will have the capacity, which they now have, to invite and take the verbatim record of evidence from the public. However, I was under the impression that the committee were already doing this. I am not a member of that committee but I thought they were hearing RTE and other bodies with regard to local radio. that this was being done in public and that they were taking a record. Are we authorising what is already taking place?

Mr. Ferris

This change is being made at the wish of the committee who felt that the original terms did not enable them to discuss submissions or to question people making oral submissions before them. This interpretation of the original terms of reference was not intended when the committee was first established last June and this amendment to the terms of reference is being ratified by the House today so that the committee will not be impeded in their work.

Question put and agreed to.