I would like to ask the Minister for Finance if he is prepared to give us the names of those who are to act on this Commission regarding the administration of the Old Age Pensions Act.
COMMISSION ON OLD AGE PENSIONS ADMINISTRATION.
I can only give the name of the Chairman, Mr. McCann, K.C. I hope to have the other names approved by the Executive Council within a couple of days.
Are we to understand that the Committee is to sit and act as soon as the names are approved?
The Committee will be summoned at once, but I do not know whether it will do anything round the Christmas holidays.
Can the Minister for Local Government say in regard to the Commission for Relief of Distress, whether the terms of reference of that Commission will conflict in any way with the terms of reference of the Committee on Health Insurance and will he see that they do not conflict?
Before finally fixing on the terms of reference of the Commission I consulted with the Chairman of the other Commission and he agreed that they did not conflict in any way and so I take it that should settle that part of it. I have not yet been able to decide on the persons to act on that Commission but I hope to be able to give their names within the next couple of weeks or so. It is a matter of considerable difficulty to pick out people, suitable and qualified, to act on that Commission.
Has the Minister in mind a Dáil Commission or Committee, or a Departmental Committee or a general committee outside the Department? Can he give any information as to the proposed constitution of the Committee?
I should say it would be a general Committee not confined to the Department or confined to members of the Dáil, because it is necessary to get different points of view, and at the same time to get men who have probably expert knowledge of the matters to be considered.
Will the investigation be public?
It will be public.
Can the Minister say whether it is his intention to have members of this House on the Committee?
I have not definitely decided, but I believe we will. I am not anxious that it should take the lines of being a Party Committee.