I want to raise a matter of which I have given you, Sir, notice. I have also communicated to the Taoiseach my intention to mention it. We held here, on Friday, 28th June, for the first time since the State was founded, a joint session of Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann by Resolution adopted by both Houses. Since then, the unrevised Official Report has reached Deputies. I want to submit that in its present format, it does not correctly reproduce what transpired and it does not do justice in its format or content to the unique and historic occasion in which we all participated. I want to make it quite clear that, in my submission, the occasion was historic for the attendance of the President of the United States of America, but it was also historic because the Oireachtas of this State elected, as a unique gesture of respect and admiration for the President, to hold a joint session of Dáil and Seanad.
I think these facts ought to be adequately recorded in a suitable record which would be available to the members of both Houses and which I believe many citizens of the State would wish to acquire as a memorial of this exceptional occasion. I do not think I can elaborate here and now on the form and contents of the report that would be appropriate to what actually transpired but I would suggest that the matter be referred to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges of the Dáil and Seanad, with a view to consulting with the officials of the Houses and directing as to the form of the record we wish to have made.
