Committee Reports > List of Committees > Dáil > 1985 > Committee on Public Expenditure > Report - Rental and Leasing of Public Sector Accommodation

DÁIL ÉIREANN

I ORDERS OF REFERENCE

21 June, 1983:- Ordered

(1) That a Select Committee (which shall be called the Committee on Public Expenditure) consisting of 17 members be appointed to review the justification for and effectiveness of ongoing expenditure of Government Departments and Offices and of State-sponsored Bodies not included in the Schedule to the Order establishing the Joint Committee on Commercial State-sponsored Bodies in such areas as it may select and to report ereon to the House recommending cost effective alternatives and/or the elimination of wasteful or obsolete programmes, where desirable.

(2) That the Committee have power to appoint sub-committees and to refer to such sub-committees any matter comprehended by Paragraph (1) of this Order.

(3) That the Committee and any of its sub-committees shall, unless they decide otherwise, hold their meetings in public under the conditions specified in Standing Order No. 74.

(4) That the Committee or any of its sub-committees have the power to send for persons, papers and records and, subject to the consent of the Minister for the Public Service, the Committee have power to engage the services of persons with specialist or technical knowledge to assist it or its sub-committees.

(5) That every report which the Committee proposes to make shall, on adoption by the Committee, be laid before the House forthwith whereupon the Committee shall be empowered to print and publish such report together with such related documents as it thinks fit.

(6) That the Committee or its sub-committees, shall refrain from publishing confidential information regarding the activities and plans of a Government Department or Office, if so requested by a Member of the Government, or of a State-sponsored Body, if so requested either by a Member of the Government or by the State-sponsored Body concerned.

(7) That the Committee present to Dáil Éireann an Annual Progress Report on its activities and plans.

(8) That Members of the Government and Ministers of State be notified of meetings and be allowed to attend and take part in proceedings without having a right to vote.

(9) That the quorum of the Committee shall be 5 and that the quorum of each sub-committee shall be 3.

That, not withstanding anything in Standing Orders and unless the Dáil shall otherwise order, if the Committee on Public Expenditure lays before the Dáil a report, three hours shall be set aside for debate on a Motion, that Dáil Éireann takes note of the report, to be taken on a day not later than the twelfth day on which the Dáil shall sit after the day on which the report shall have been laid before the Dáil and at such time as shall be announced on the Order of Business for that day by the Taoiseach; provided that where a division has been demanded on the Motion or any amendment proposed thereto the Ceann Comhairle shall postpone the taking of the division until 8.30 p.m. on the next Wednesday on which the Dáil shall sit until that hour.