Committee Reports > List of Committees > Dáil > 1976 > Committee on Procedure and Privileges > Report - Statement made by Deputy Crowley in the Dáil on 3rd March 1976 in relation to the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs

IMEACHTAÍ AN CHOISTE

PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE

Déardaoin, 11 Márta, 1976.

Thursday, 11th March, 1976.

1. The Twentieth meeting of the Committee took place at 11.30 a.m. in Room 114.

2. The following Members were present:—

The Ceann Comhairle (Chairman), Parliamentary Secretary to the Taoiseach, Deputies Andrews, Carter, Crowley, Barry Desmond, Henry P. Dockrell, Esmonde, Gene Fitzgerald, Lalor, L’Estrange, Fergus O’Brien, John O’Leary, John J. Ryan, Timmins and Wyse.

3. Complaint by Minister for Posts and Telegraphs, Deputy Conor CruiseO’Brien, with regard to Statement made by a Member in the Dáil on 3rd March, 1976.

The Committee took into consideration the complaint made by the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs, Deputy Conor Cruise-O’Brien, in the Dáil on 4th March, 1976 with regard to a statement made by Deputy Crowley in the Dáil on the 3rd idem, alleging that the Minister was a “former member of the Communist Party”.

The Ceann Comhairle having informed the Committee in reply to an enquiry that there was doubt as to whether the Constitutional privilege attaching to utterances in the Dáil extended to utterances in the Committee, the following motion proposed by Deputy Esmonde was passed unanimously:

“That this Committee ask the Government to introduce legislation to provide absolute privilege in relation to the proceedings and deliberations of the Committee.”

The Committee decided to postpone further consideration of the complaint referred to it pending the enactment of this legislation.

4. The Committee adjourned at 12.45 p.m.