Committee Reports > List of Committees > Dáil > 1928 > Committee on Procedure and Privileges > Report No. 03 - Procedure and Privileges (Holidays of Obligation)

THIRD REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PROCEDURE AND PRIVILEGES.

Holidays of Obligation.

1. Following upon a reference made in the Dáil on Friday, May 11th, 1928, the matter of sitting on Holidays of Obligation was considered by the Committee on Procedure and Privileges at its meeting on Thursday, May 17th, 1928. It was pointed out to the Committee that it had not been the practice heretofore that the Dáil should adjourn over a Holiday of Obligation (other than over the National Festival, St. Patrick’s Day), when such Holidays occurred on days on which the Dáil would otherwise normally sit. As it appeared, moreover, that sittings on only three (or possibly four) of the Holidays were likely to be affected, and on these days mainly, when the Holidays occurred on Thursdays, it was agreed that no action should be then taken. The matter, however, was to be brought forward for review if a considerable volume of opinion in favour of a change in practice manifested itself.

2. The matter was again raised informally in the Dáil on Wednesday, June 6th, 1928, when a minute of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges in the terms of the foregoing paragraph was communicated to the House. Following that communication, opinion in favour of a change in practice was expressed, and it was then agreed that the matter should be further considered by the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, with a view to a report to the House.

3. The Committee took the matter into consideration at meetings on June 14th, July 12th and October 11th.

A motion in assertion of the general principle that the Dáil should not in future sit on any Holiday of Obligation was negatived on Division by the Committee. Accordingly, the Committee recommends that the practice heretofore followed should not be departed from.

MÍCHEÁL O hAODHA,

Chairman.

11th October, 1928.