I welcome the Minister for Public Enterprise and Transport and her officials, including Mr. Matt Benville. I suggest we continue consideration of the Air Navigation and Transport (Amendment) Bill and, hopefully, finish at 4 o'clock. This is the third meeting on this Bill and we have another Bill waiting to be dealt with. In view of this we should agree times for meeting next week, if we are in a position to start consideration of the other Bill. There is difficulty in finding days which are suitable. It has been suggested that we should meet at 9.30 a.m. next Wednesday, taking into account the fact that we will have the Order of Business and parliamentary party meetings on that day.
Business of Select Committee.
I wish to draw the Chair's attention to a letter we received from the Government Whip setting out a schedule of meetings of both the select and joint committees, and that they would meet on a fortnightly basis.
Is that for all meetings?
I understand that only applies to meetings of joint committees.
No, it applies to meetings of joint and select committees. As this committee has ignored that, I cannot attend the meeting of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges today at 3 o'clock. As Whip of my party I am a member of that committee and I have an important item on the agenda. This committee is also conducting important business. All parties agreed to the Government Whip's schedule but we seem to be ignoring it. As this committee met last week it should not meet this week; according to the schedule of the Government Chief Whip.
At the end of the notification referred to by the Deputy, there is a note to the effect that other meetings will take place only with the approval of the Clerk scheduling Bills. Bills take precedence and are to be taken in Room G5. The other times mentioned relate to joint committees.
Joint committees are not mentioned anywhere.
I was told that and I do not wish to give a personal view on the matter.
There are two other committees meeting at this time. I do not want to downgrade the importance of this committee, but the Committee of Public Accounts Committee is also meeting this afternoon.
That committee met this morning and the meeting has finished. It will meet next Thursday at the usual time. That committee held two special sittings in addition to the usual weekly one.
At an earlier meeting of this committee we requested the attendance of the regulator and in this connection there is a proposal before the Committee on Procedure and Privileges about the Compellability of Witnesses Act. For that reason I would like to be present for that. Other Members of this committee should also be present.
We received no notification of that meeting because it is scheduled as a House committee as distinct from a committee of the Dáil.
It places us in a quandary.
The purpose of this schedule is to introduce some order in a difficult, if not impossible, situation.
The committee schedule states that other meetings are to take place only with the approval of the Clerk scheduling Bills. What does that mean?
The Clerk of the committee. That is to ensure we have accommodation and that the Minister can attend if we are dealing with Bills. The schedule indicates that all rooms are booked out.
We should discuss the business of the meeting.
In fairness, all Members want to make their contribution.
I accept the chairman is meeting with the other committee chairpersons next week to try to deal with the problem. He is aware of our difficulties.
I will forcefully convey the views expressed here at that meeting. This committee is an important one, both in its joint and select forms. I am conscious of the importance of the work which has to be done.
Is there agreement on the date for the next meeting?
We must agree that now. I suggested 9.30 a.m. next Wednesday but I am conscious we will only get an hour from that, unless 9 o'clock is more suitable. The Clerk will try to find a venue.