As we have a quorum, I call the meeting to order. We are in public session. Apologies have been received from Deputies Brendan Ryan and Barry Cowen. The first item on the agenda is the election of the Chairman. I invite nominations for the position.
Election of Chairman
Clerk to the Committee
I nominate Deputy Joanna Tuffy.
Clerk to the Committee
Are there any other nominations?
As I am new, can I ask a question? Who actually appoints the Chairman of a committee?
Clerk to the Committee
The members.
What members?
I have just nominated-----
Clerk to the Committee
Anybody is free to nominate anybody.
We put forward nominations.
People who are on the committee? Is the Senator on the committee?
Is she on the education committee?
Yes. We are all on the education committee.
I thought some people here were not members of the committee. I am just wondering what the process is.
Clerk to the Committee
The process is that there is political agreement within-----
Political agreement?
Clerk to the Committee
-----the two Houses as to the membership of each committee.
Yes, and is there political agreement on who becomes Chairman? The nomination, then, is really a handshake. It is not really a nomination.
Clerk to the Committee
The nomination of the Chairman is exclusively a matter for the members of the committee.
Although the Government has decided who it is going to be.
No. The Senator can nominate somebody.
Generally, a nomination is proposed and seconded.
Clerk to the Committee
I have one nomination for Chairman at present, and I am seeking other nominations, if there are any.
I was under the impression that the Labour Party and Fine Gael Government decided who the Chairman was to be. Am I wrong on this?
The Senator is asking the question.
I have a right to ask the question.
Yes, and I am waiting for the answer.
Senator O'Donnell can nominate somebody now, if she wants to.
No, I do not want to nominate anybody. I am asking about the process. The process is that the Government actually chooses the Chairman and we are here to validate it.
No. I have just nominated Deputy Joanna Tuffy.
That is fine.
Clerk to the Committee
Are there any other nominations? No. As there are no other nominations, I declare Deputy Joanna Tuffy Chairman of the joint committee and invite her to take the Chair.
Deputy Joanna Tuffy took the Chair.
I thank members for electing me as Chairman. It is a great honour to chair this committee and I look forward to working with everybody. I thank Deputy Mitchell O'Connor for nominating me and Senator Healy Eames for seconding my nomination. This is a new committee which will cover the Departments of Education and Skills and Social Protection, both of which are important Departments in terms of expenditure. It will deal with the nitty gritty of our role as legislators because much of our work concerns issues of education and social welfare. In education we must try to ensure people reach their best potential and with social welfare we must ensure everybody has a safety net in hard times and can find work through labour market activation measures.
I see this committee as a team that makes up an important part of the infrastructure of the Oireachtas by influencing policy development. In the coming months I want to work with members on the development of policy in areas in which they are interested. I hope everybody will have an input to the development of our work programme and deliberations.