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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 23 Jul 1952

Vol. 133 No. 11

Apology by a Deputy.

Before the business of the day is entered on I wish to apologise to the House through you, Sir, for so far forgetting myself last night, under extreme provocation by way of defamatory insinuations on my national record, as to behave in the manner in which I did.

Sir, while I appreciate Deputy Killilea's statement to-day I think that what happened last night is a matter of serious importance. There was last night a very grave breach of the privileges of this House by an attempt at assault on a Deputy in the House. This is the third occasion in a very short time on which an incident of this kind has occurred and, therefore, while appreciating what Deputy Killilea has said to-day——

I do not think that this House will be doing its duty in safeguarding its dignity and its privileges unless formal notice is taken in a very formal way of what happened here last night. I do not want in any way to prejudice the judgment of the House on anything that happened then, but I think what happened is of very serious importance and merits consideration by the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. The House should have a report from that committee on the matter so that, with the full information it will have, it may give judgment on what took place last night in an effort to discover whether serious and definite steps cannot be taken to prevent occurrences of this kind in the future.

It is not a sufficient protection of the House, its dignity and its privileges, that there can be an attempt at assault either in the House itself or within the precincts of the House and that that attempt can subsequently be rubbed out by an apology to the House the following day. I think every Deputy in every Party must be of the opinion that our privileges and our dignity must be safeguarded. Therefore, while appreciating what Deputy Killilea has said, I submit that the incident last night cannot be left without review and examination by the Committee on Procedure and Privileges so that the House may have an opportunity of considering the matter in a more formal way and seeing what steps can be taken for the future in order that incidents of that kind can be avoided.

There is only one apology.

The matter can be brought before the Committee on Procedure and Privileges and a decision taken on it by that Committee. There is nothing before the House at the moment and I therefore cannot allow any discussion.

I want to submit a point of order.

Are we to understand then that, as far as you are concerned in the discharge of your duties and prerogatives, it is not proposed to take any steps to bring this matter before the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.

Any Deputy may bring the matter before the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. It is my duty to summon that Committee so that a statement can be heard by any member of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges on the matter. That will be done. The Committee will be summoned and a statement can be made before it by any Deputy who is a member of the Committee. Beyond that I cannot go. I have no personal knowledge of what happened.

On a point of order. An attempt is made to assault a Deputy in this House.

Are we all going to get an opportunity of speaking?

This is the second or third such attempt.

Deputies

Shut up!

There will be no silencing of debate in this House.

(Interruptions).

And if anyone tries that on me he will discover his error. There will be no silencing of debate. You will never do it.

(Interruptions).

You will never silence debate here.

Order! There is nothing before the House at the moment and I cannot allow the matter to be prejudiced by any discussion here now. If the matter is to be discussed it must be brought before the Committee on Procedure and Privileges without prejudice from this House or anywhere else.

On a point of order. Am I to understand that the incident which occurred last night was not reported to you?

It was reported to me.

In that case I respectfully suggest it would be the duty of the Chair to report the matter to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.

It is not the duty of the Ceann Comhairle to report the matter to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. The Ceann Comhairle will make every facility available to the members of the Committee to discuss the matter. Every facility will be afforded them. That is all the Ceann Comhairle can do. That will be done.

Can the Ceann Comhairle say when the Committee will be called?

As soon as possible. We can discuss that outside the House.

I agree with what Deputy Mulcahy has said. This is a serious charge.

I cannot allow the Minister to proceed any further.

With respect, everyone has got a chance of speaking except me.

Will the Minister please resume his seat? I cannot allow the matter to be discussed here. This matter must proceed without any prejudice to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges and that Committee must decide it.

Are we not being continually insulted and slandered here?

There is only one cure for them. Get them outside.

Any time you like.

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