asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he proposes to establish a joint committee to deal with foreign policy, with power to call witnesses and documentation; and initiate such research as is necessary for its work; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Foreign Policy.
10.
The question of establishing Oireachtas committees and the terms of reference of such committees is primarily a matter for the Houses of the Oireachtas. I assume that this will be discussed in due course by the Committees on Procedure and Privileges when these are established.
Can the Minister indicate his own attitude towards the establishment of such a foreign policy committee? Should he agree with its establishment, would he be in favour of it having the terms of reference as outlined in the question? Should he disagree, what are the grounds of his objections?
First of all, this again is pre-empting the situation. The Committees on Procedure and Privileges of both Houses of the Oireachtas are the committees who organise and order the committees to be established. Discussions will take place through the Whips with these committees and that is the way to proceed. I will certainly help to get that process of discussion going. The foreign affairs committee, if that is regarded as feasible, will be one of the matters on the agenda for such meetings.
Would the Minister agree that our position as a Parliament is unique in not having such a committee by comparison with every other country in western Europe?
I am not here to make comparisons of any kind. All I am saying is that I will facilitate the appropriate meetings that should take place to see if it is feasible to organise and establish such a committee.
I am not clear on what is happening. The Minister, if he might elucidate for me, has said he will arrange for a meeting that in turn will possibly discuss a possible committee. Can he, as Minister for Foreign Affairs, express his opinion as to whether he is in favour of such a committee being in existence or not in view of the widespread public interest in foreign affairs? Would he not agree that our debates on foreign policy, on the Single European Act to take his own contribution, would have been better informed had we had such a committee?
We are not a debating society here and I do not intend to take over any part of the very legitimate role of the Oireachtas in ordering our affairs. The committees I have referred to are a matter for the Oireachtas and I will certainly facilitate such meetings with the two appropriate Oireachtas Committees on Procedure and Privileges to see if we can get a committee on foreign affairs set up and working. That will have to be looked at in the context of all the committees with a view to seeing how best the Oireachtas can handle and deal with the situation.
Does the Minister regard the machinery now available to the Oireachtas as adequate to allow for an informed debate on foreign policy?
Again that is not a matter that should be discussed at this stage. The question addresses itself to the matter of setting up a committee of the Houses of the Oireachtas on the lines of other committees that have been established. We can have discussions on that while recognising that this is primarily a matter almost entirely for the Oireachtas. I would not presume in any way to take on the functions of the Oireachtas in regard to a committee of the Oireachtas.
I should like to ask the Minister if, as Minister for Foreign Affairs and a parliamentarian of long standing, he has any views of his own on how the House should address questions of foreign policy.
Has the Minister any views at all?
The question of establishing committees to deal with issues of foreign policy, or any other policy, is a matter for the House or Houses of the Oireachtas. The matter is one for the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. The attitude of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, or any other Minister, in regard to committees does not and should not impinge on the work of committees dealing with any sphere of parliamentary activity. I have outlined the correct procedure to be followed and Members opposite should recognise that.