Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Friday, 9 Jun 1944

Vol. 94 No. 1

Election of Ceann Comhairle.

Eamon de Valera

Tairgim:—

Go dtoghtar Proinnsias O Fathaigh agus go dtéighe sé i gceannas na Dála anois mar Cheann Comhairle.

That Deputy Proinnsias O Fathaigh be elected and do now take the Chair as Ceann Comhairle.

Is main liom an Teachta Proinnsias O Fathaigh do chur os comhair na Dála mar Cheann Comhairle. Tá breis agus dhá bhliain déag ann anois ó toghadh Proinnsias O Fathaigh mar Cheann Comhairle den chéad uair, agus d'athtoghadh é cúig uaire o shoin. Tá, mar sin, sean-taithí aige ar obair na Dála agus ar an slí inar chóir obair na Dála a stiúradh. Táim cinnte go bhfuil gach Teachta sásta leis an gcaoi a ndearna sé a chuid oibre. Thug sé cothrom na féinne do gach aon duine. Bhí sé lách agus cineálta i gcomhnaí. Sin é an t-aon lócht amháin atá air béidir, go raibh sé rud beag ró-bhog ar chuid de na daoine a bhí ag iarraidh teacht timpeall ar na rialacha agus ar bhuanorduithe na Dála. Caifimíd go léir cuidiú leis san obair sin, mar tá a lán lán oibre le déanamh anseo agus ceapaim go bhfuil a lán daoine, ar chuma ar bith, ar aon intinn go mba chóir é bheith níos déine ná mar do bhí. Ach, mar sin féin, tá mé cinnte go n-aontóidh sibh go léir liom gur dheachair éinne níos oireamhnaí fháil don phost ná é. Tá súil agam go dtoghfar d'aonghuth é. Mar sin, molaim go dtoghfar Proinnsias O Fathaigh chun bheith ina Cheann Comhairle agus go dtéighe sé i gceannas na Dála anois.

Risteárd Ua Maolchatha

Ar mo shon féin agus ar son gach dalta liom i bPáirtí Fine Gael, cuidím leis an rún atá curtha os comhair na Dála. Aontuím go mbeidh Proinnsias O Fathaigh ina Cheann Comhairle againn. Tá mé deimhnitheach leis— an rud a dubhairt an Taoiseach—go dtabharfaidh sé cothrom na Féinne do gach Teachta. Is olc ón Taoiseach a rá go mbíodh sé ró-bhog uaireannta, agus is measa ná sin uaidh a rá go bhfuil súil aige go mbeidh sé níos déine. Pé Rialtas a bheidh sa tír seo i rith na gcúpla blian atá romhainn, ní féidir a rá ná beidh comhachta iongantacha foirleathana acu, agus ba chóir go mbeadh cead cainte ag an Dáil. Ní dóigh liom go ndéanfaidh tuille cainte sa Dáil mórán díobhála. Tá na rialacha ann, agus táim deimhnitheach go ndéanfaidh sé do réir na rialacha. Ní ceart go mbeadh an Taoiseach á iarraidh ar an gCeann Comhairle againn bheith níos déine orainn feasta.

Seumas Diolún

Maith thú.

Risteárd Ua Maolchatha

Ach mar sin féin, aontuím leis an tairiscint ag an Taoiseach go dtoghfar é mar Cheann Comhairle ar an Dáil, agus tá súil agam ná heireoidh le muintir Fianna Fáil greim ró-láidir fháil ar ghnó an Chinn Comhairle chun caint do chose sa Dáil seo.

Seumas Diolún

Ba mhaith liom díospóireacht i nGaedhilge a bheith againn ach ní thuigeann an chuid is mó de na daoine an méid atá á rá. Mar sin, déarfaidh mise rud beag i mBéarla. Nuair bhí an Teachta de Valéra ag caint is dóigh liom go ndúirt sé rud amháin go mba mhaith liom rud eicint a rá mar gheall air.

When the Taoiseach was proposing this motion he referred to Deputy Proinnsias O Fathaigh in terms to which, I think, every Deputy in this House will subscribe: that Deputy Proinnsias O Fathaigh had proved himself to be a good Ceann Comhairle, that he has served this House well, that he has been impartial, fair and courageous in the defence of the rights of every Deputy in the House, from whatever side, and that he will continue to be so. I think that every Deputy in this House, from whatever side, will agree to that, but I suggest that it is early for the Taoiseach to start waving his 76 Deputies about this House. He can wave them over here as much as he likes, and yet could well cause no consternation.

Mr. Traynor

Jack the Giant Killer.

Mr. Dillon

There are enough Jack the Giant Killers over here to deal with the 76, but I hold that it is a very dangerous precedent that, on the day this Dáil meets, the Taoiseach should warn the Ceann Comhairle not to be so easy or so lenient with Deputies whose remarks or speeches, in his judgment, are not relevant. It is not the function of the Ceann Comhairle to agree with what the Taoiseach or the Government say. The prime function of the Ceann Comhairle is to see that all Deputies in this House, no matter to what Party they belong, get a fair opportunity of speaking their minds. Even though the Taoiseach can claim to be the owner of 76 seats in this House, there are still a few seats here which are not owned by him, and it is the function of the Ceann Comhairle to see that the Taoiseach will not claim the right to own every side in the House, beyond the 76 seats which he claims to hold. So long as the Ceann Comhairle stands fast on that, we will have peace here, but if he does not stand fast on that, we will have something else. It is just as well to start on this now, and we should make it clear that the Ceann Comhairle of this House takes no instruction from the Taoiseach and that, on the day he starts taking it, he will cease to have the confidence of the House. It is just because I have every confidence that Deputy Proinnsias O Fathaigh will take no orders from the Taoiseach or anybody else, that I gladly support the motion. If, however, some other Deputies in this House should take the attitude the Taoiseach has taken, then I shall do my best to keep, them out of the occupancy of the Chair of this House. It is because I know that Deputy Proinnsias O Fathaigh will refuse to take orders from the Taoiseach, or anybody else, that I gladly support the motion.

Mr. Donnellan

It is 12 months since I had an opportunity of listening in this House to tributes then paid to the Ceann Comhairle. On that occasion I stated that as a Galway man I was delighted to hear such grand things being said about him. I had no experience of the House then, but I was delighted that a Galway man had merited such fine tributes in this House. Since then we, as a new Party, have had 11 months' experience in this House, and all I can say is that the Ceann Comhairle was more than lenient towards our group. I do hope that no Deputy will run away with the idea, as some people seemed to think, that that was because the Ceann Comhairle is a Galway man and that I happen to be one also. He has always carried out his duties towards us in the manner of a father towards his children. He was ready to help us as best he could. For that leniency it is my duty to-day as Leader of the Party to say that we are very grateful. We believe that no better man could be got from any Party to fill the Chair of this House. We hope that he will live long to hold the Chair of Dáil Eireann, and we feel confident that he will prove a credit to this Dáil.

Question—"That Deputy Frank Fahy be elected and do now take the Chair of the Dáil as Ceann Comhairle"—put by the Clerk and unanimously agreed to.

Whereupon the Deputies 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:—

A chomhtheachtaí, táim an-bhuíoch díbh go léir as ucht mé d'ath-thoghadh mar Cheann Chomhairle. Tá dóchas agam go bhfuighead comhar agus cúnamh ón Dáil chun dualgaisí na hoifige do chomhlíonadh go ceart agus tá súil agam go mb' fhiú mé an mhuinín atá curtha agaibh ionam anois.

To my fellow Deputies, I am grateful for having elected me for the sixth time as Ceann Comhairle. I rely with confidence on the co-operation of the Dáil in the discharge of my duties, for without that co-operation my task would be impossible. I trust I shall be worthy of the confidence now reposed in me. To remarks made regarding my duties, I do not propose to reply beyond stating that I consider it to be the duty of the House to transact the nation's business and, consistent with that, to have freedom of discussion impartially within the rules and the Standing Orders of Dáil Eireann.