Sé an chéad ghnó eile atá le déanamh ag an nDáil, ná Ceann Comhairle do thogha.
The next business is the election of Ceann Comhairle.
ELECTION OF CEANN COMHAIRLE.
AN CLEIREACH
Following the precedent that has been established, it is my pleasing duty to move that Deputy Mícheál O hAodha be elected and do now take the Chair of the Dáil as Ceann Comhairle. In submitting that motion for the consideration of the House it is unnecessary to say much by way of commendation of its terms.
The Chair of the Dáil is above Party. It requires its occupant to possess, in an unusual degree, patience, tact and impartiality. Isolated, too, as the Chair is, it requires also the qualities of self-reliance, quickness of decision and firmness of control. Those of us who have had the privilege of serving under the Chairmanship of Deputy Mícheál O hAodha know that he brought to the performance of the administrative duties of his high office, and to the conduct of the debates of the Dáil, all the attributes requisite for the office of Ceann Comhairle. His scrupulous fairness, evenly-balanced mind and keen appreciation of his duties as protector of the rights in debate of the members of the smaller groups as of those of the larger Parties secured for him the loyal confidence of his fellow Deputies and their unquestioned acceptance of his decisions. And it is upon that confidence in the Ceann Comhairle that the authority of the Chair and the order and dignity of our proceedings ultimately rest. In re-electing the outgoing Ceann Comhairle the House will be assured of maintaining unbroken the high traditions which have come to be associated with the Chair of the Dáil. It is with very great pleasure that I submit to the Dáil the nomination of Deputy Mícheál O hAodha as Ceann Comhairle.
It gives me the greatest possible pleasure to second the nomination of Deputy Mícheál O hAodha which has been moved by President Cosgrave. I re-echo everything President Cosgrave has said as to the absolute fairness, impartiality and general good sense of Deputy Mícheál O hAodha, who occupied the Chair during the past five years. As one of those whose Party has been in a minority in this House during that time, I thoroughly agree that in his protection of the rights of minorities, and even of the rights of individual members who belong to no Party, Deputy O hAodha in the Chair has never left his conduct open to question and, in so far as I know, has never failed to do his duty. Nobody who has sat in this Chamber during the last five years can say that any single ruling of the Chair has given dissatisfaction. The Ceann Comhairle's rulings have always been wise and, naturally, they have always been accepted without question; that is proof that they were wise and that they were sound and just. It is up to all of us in this House to obey the Chair and support the Chair; we must do that, I might say, for our own self-preservation as a deliberative assembly. It is a pleasure to know that the man who occupies the Chair is one on whom we can always depend to give a just, fair and strictly impartial ruling. I have very great pleasure in seconding the President's motion.
Ní chuirfimíd in aghaidh an rúin seo, ach is cóir go gcuirfimís i n-úil do gach duine agus go h-áirithe dos na daoinibh atá i láthair nách bhfuilimíd sásta go dtabharfaí breis is míle punt do'n Cheann Comhairle nó d'Aire nó d'aon oifigeach fé'n Oireachtas, chó fada is atá muinntear na tíre i gcruadh-chás agus i ngátar. Mar sin, déanfaimíd ár ndícheall nuair a thiochfas an t-am £700 'sa bliadhain a bhainnt ó thuarasdal an Chinn Comhairle.
Question:—"That Deputy Michael Hayes be elected and do now take the Chair of the Dáil as Ceann Comhairle"— put by the Clerk, and agreed to.
Whereupon the Deputies present rose in their places and remained standing while the Ceann Comhairle proceeded to the Dais.
Standing beside the Chair, the Ceann Comhairle, addressing the Dáil, said:— Táim an-bhuidheach den Dáil mar gheall ar me thoghadh arís mar Cheann Comhairle. Tuigim go maith an onóir atá bronnta orm. Níl agam lé rádh ach go ndéanfad mo dhícheall chun gach dualgas a bhaineas leis an oifig do chomhlíonadh mar is ceart.
I desire to thank Deputies for having elected me again to the very honourable and onerous office of Ceann Comhairle. I appreciate to the fullest extent what an honour it is to be so selected. I have only to say that in the carrying out of the various duties of the office I shall do my very best.