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IMEACHTAÍ AN CHOISTEPROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMITTEEDé Céadaoin, 21 Aibreán, 1971.Wednesday, 21 April, 1971.1. The Committee met at 11 a.m. 2. Members Present. The following members were present:— Deputy Patrick Hogan (in the Chair), Deputies Barrett, R. Burke, E. Collins, FitzGerald, H. Gibbons, Keating, MacSharry, Nolan, Treacy and Tunney. 3. Mr. E. F. Suttle (Comptroller and Auditor General) was in attendance in an advisory capacity. 4. The Committee went into public session. 5. Witnesses Examined. Deputy James Gibbons, Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries was sworn and examined. 6. The Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries withdrew. 7. The Committee went into private session. 8. Ordered: that the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries be informed, on resumption of his evidence, that he was entitled to make a submission regarding relevancy to the Chairman who would rule on the matter in each case; and that where a Question was allowed, the reply was a matter for the witness. 9. The Committee went into public session. 10. Witnesses Examined. Examination of the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries was resumed. 11. Sitting Suspended. The sitting was suspended at 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. today. 12. The Committee met again at 4 p.m. 13. Ordered: that the following rule be adopted:— “The fact that a witness may have given evidence elsewhere does not entitle him to decline to answer questions on the same issue put by members of the Committee.” 14. Ordered: that the following statement be made by the Chairman on resumption of examination of the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries: “The witness made a reference this morning to the party political affiliations of the members of the Committee then present. I wish to state on behalf of the Committee that the individual members of the Committee were nominated to serve on it by the Committee of Selection and that they were so nominated as to six members representing the Government party and six members representing the Opposition parties. It will be unavoidable from time to time that some members will not be present and that in consequence the proportions as between the parties will vary. Such unavoidable and temporary absences from time to time cannot be held to affect the impartiality of the Committee as constituted. A recognition of the fact that it may not always be possible for all members of the Committee to be in attendance at any given time is indeed to be inferred from the Standing Order which prescribes that the quorum of the Committee is four, that is, that once four members are in attendance, it is in order for the Committee to proceed. This is the basis on which the Public Accounts Committee has been constituted since the foundation of the State. I should also say that I am satisfied that all members of this Committee have behaved with absolute impartiality and the Committee rejects any suggestion that in the performance of their duties members of the Committee have been influenced by party political considerations to show favour or prejudice vis-à-vis witnesses.” 15. The Committee went into public session. 16. Witnesses Examined. Deputy Neil T. Blaney was sworn and examined (accompanied by Mr. John Murray, B.L.). 17. Deputy Blaney withdrew. 18. Sitting Suspended. The sitting was suspended at 6 p.m. until 7.30 p.m. today. 19. The Committee met again at 7.30 p.m. 20. The Committee went into public session. 21. Witnesses Examined. Examination of the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries was resumed. 22. Sitting Suspended. The sitting was suspended at 9 p.m. until 9.15 p.m. today. 23. The Committee met again at 9.15 p.m. 24. The Committee went into public session. 25. Witnesses Examined. Examination of the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries was resumed. 26. The Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries withdrew. 27. Adjournment. The Committee adjourned at 11.15 p.m. until 11 a.m. tomorrow. |
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