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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 2 May 1967

Vol. 228 No. 4

Closing of Leinster House Gates.

On a point of order, a Cheann Comhairle, a unique situation arose today. After the bells had sounded to summon Deputies to the House, an emergency arose as a result of which the appropriate authority, acting under your general authority, took certain precautions, including the closure of the gates, excluding Deputies from the precincts. I understand that the Ceann Comhairle was not notified of that emergency. I may be wrong. My submission on a point of order is this: Where the exercise of your delegated authority in a state of closed, the first person to be notified should be you, a Cheann Comhairle, lest the situation might arise that you would be permitted to take the Chair unaware of the existence of an emergency and certain Deputies desiring to be present, and who have an inalienable right to be present, should be excluded. I proceed on the assumption that if you were notified of the emergency, you would not let the House assemble until such an emergency had passed and access were made available to all Deputies who wish to avail of it to appear and discharge their duties here.

I can inform the Deputy that the matter is being inquired into fully.

May I take it that the purpose is to vindicate the principle that no delegated authority of yours could properly be assumed to deny Deputies access to this House after you had taken the Chair?

The incidents adumbrated by Deputy Dillon will be investigated fully.

There is a constitutional right.

I would not presume to interpret the Constitution.

It is in the book, Sir.

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