I move:
That the Report dated the 31st July, 1975, of the Tribunal appointed on the 4th July, 1975, pursuant to Resolution passed on the 3rd July, 1975, by Dáil Éireann and on the 4th July, 1975, by Seanad Éireann, be referred for consideration to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges and for report thereon to the House.
The House will recall that on 2nd July last Deputies Robert Molloy and Brendan Crinion alleged that the Minister for Local Government had a business connection with a County Meath builder named Robert Farrelly, otherwise James Farrell, and made three specific allegations about ways in which this connection operated. Similar allegations had been made in this House as long ago as the 12th December, 1974, and notwithstanding emphatic denials by the Minister, both Deputies Molloy and Crinion confirmed the allegations on 2nd July, 1975, after the Minister had made personal explanation to Dáil Éireann denying any association with the builder in question.
You will recollect, a Cheann Comhairle, that in the circumstances the Minister asked you to refer the matter to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. You did so but the Committee reported that it was unable to investigate the matter because Deputies Molloy and Crinion refused to make any statements before the Committee.
Accordingly, on the 3rd July, 1975, a motion moved by me to set up a Tribunal of Inquiry was passed by Dáil Éireann and on the following day by Seanad Éireann. You will also recall that, on the 4th July, Deputies Molloy and Crinion made personal explanations, in this House, in which they withdrew unreservedly the allegations made by them concerning the Minister and the builder in question.
The report of the Tribunal of Inquiry was made on 31st July last and is now before us in print. I would like to record my appreciation of the expeditious manner in which the members of the tribunal conducted their investigation.
Under Standing Order 73 of this House the Committee on Procedure and Privileges are charged, inter alia, with the function of considering and reporting, when requested to do so, as to the privileges attaching to Members. Accordingly, I am of the view that because of the implications of this matter the Committee on Procedure and Privileges should be asked to consider the report of the tribunal and to report thereon to this House.
I now move the motion.