The first item on the agenda is the nomination and election of Chairman. I invite nominations in that regard.
Election of Chairman.
Clerk to the Committee
I propose Deputy John Moloney.
I second that proposal.
Clerk to the Committee
Are there any other nominations?
Given that Deputy Moloney has already been described in print as Chairman of the joint committee, is there any point in nominating another member?
Yes, of course.
The Lord loves a trier.
Clerk to the Committee
As there are no other nominations, I deem Deputy John Moloney elected and invite him to take the Chair.
Deputy John Moloney took the Chair.
I thank my proposer, Deputy Rory O'Hanlon, and welcome members to the joint committee. I also thank the staff of the committee.
I hope members do not believe my appointment in advance of this meeting suggests our work for the next five years is done and dusted. I will act at all times to benefit all members. In time it will be shown that I am not a politically partisan chairman. Having been Chairman of the Joint Committee on Health and Children for the past three years, former members will verify that its business was conducted in an open and transparent manner. I will attempt to ensure everybody's ideas on health reform are heard.
I will make one or two proposals for members to consider in advance of our next meeting on Thursday morning. During the term of the previous Joint Committee on Health and Children we invited the Minister for Health and Children to appear before us at least once per quarter. I will ask members for their views on this practice later. Similarly, we asked Professor Drumm and other representatives of the Health Service Executive to appear before us at quarterly intervals. We found such meetings beneficial but it is a matter for members to consider how we should proceed in that regard. I suggest that if issues crop up outside the regular three monthly meetings, the joint committee should feel free to invite the Minister or representatives of the HSE to appear before it to discuss them.
I sound a note of caution, however, regarding the large numbers of groups which make presentations before the joint committee. I will ask the Whips to work out how we intend to deal with the issue. Without meaning to be controversial, we will get very little work done if we choose to listen to every delegation. For this reason, I propose that members should consider the possibility of sub-committees meeting some groups. This is not an attempt to shift responsibilities to sub-committees but an effort to ensure we complete the work on our agenda.
I ask the various party groupings, through their respective Whips, to decide which issues they want prioritised during the term of the joint committee. I hope reform of cancer services will be prioritised. The joint committee produced a report on suicide during the previous Government's term of office which I will circulate to members in the hope we can deal with its recommendations. At the time of its publication some people asked whether this was another report that would go nowhere. I hope members will read it and examine its recommendations in the coming weeks with a view to making progress on its implementation. As I do not wish to start on the wrong foot by speaking for too long, I will proceed to the next item on the agenda.