Committee Reports > List of Committees > Dáil > 1995 > Select Committtee on Social Affairs > Report - Select Committtee on Social Affairs, For the period 7 April, 1993 to 31 December 1994

APPENDIX II

Orders of Reference and other Relevant Orders

DÁIL ÉIREANN

1. ORDERS OF REFERENCE

7th April, 1993:—Ordered: (1) That a Select Committee, which shall be called the Select Committee on Social Affairs, be appointed consisting of 30 members of Dáil Éireann, in addition to the ex officio members of the Committee referred to in paragraph (3), to consider the following matters relating to social welfare, health, education, labour, law, the Gaeltacht and equality, namely—

(i)the Estimates for Public Services relevant to the above-mentioned subjects,

(ii)the impact on equality of policy and legislation relevant to the above-mentioned subjects,

(iii)the Committee Stages of such Bills initiated in relation to those subjects as may be referred to the Select Committee under Standing Order 70 of the Standing Orders relative to Public Business,

(iv)such reports relevant to those subjects as Dáil Éireann may refer to the Select Committee for discussion, observations and recommendations,

and shall report thereon to Dáil Éireann.

(2) That the Select Committee shall have power to appoint sub-Committees and to delegate any matter comprehended by paragraph (1) to a sub-Committee.

(3) That the member of the Government in charge of the Department the statute law in respect of which is dealt with in a Bill which is referred to the Select Committee or a sub-Committee thereof or the Estimates for Public Services for which are considered by the Select Committee or a sub-Committee thereof shall be an ex officio member of such Committee or sub-Committee but such member of the Government may nominate a Minister or Minister of State to be such ex officio member in his stead.

(4) That the report of the Select Committee upon every Bill referred to it shall be set down for Report Stage in Dáil Éireann.

(5) That the Select Committee shall make an annual report to Dáil Éireann which shall detail

(i)the work carried out by the Committee,

(ii)the work in progress by the Committee,

(iii)the attendance and voting records at meetings of the Committee,

(iv)its future work programme, and

(v)such other matters as the Committee deems appropriate.

(6) That, subject to the consent of the Minister for Finance, the Select Committee shall have the power to engage the services of persons with specialist or technical knowledge to assist it or any of its sub-Committees in their consideration of any matters comprehended by paragraph (1).

(7) That the Select Committee may invite submissions in writing, if considered necessary by the Committee, from interested persons or bodies on any matter comprehended by paragraph (1).

(8) That, previous to the consideration of the Committee Stage of a Bill by the Select Committee, a briefing session or sessions shall be held between the officials of the relevant Department and members of the Select Committee (or sub-Committee as the case may be) and that such briefing session shall be held in private.

(9) That, in the absence from a particular meeting of the Select Committee (or of a sub-Committee) of a member, another member of Dáil Éireann, nominated by the Party or group within the meaning of Standing Order 89 to which the absent member belongs, may take part in the proceedings and vote in his stead.

(10) That the Select Committee and each sub-Committee, previous to the commencement of business, shall elect one of its members to be Chairman, who shall have only one vote.

(11) That all questions in the Select Committee and in each sub-Committee shall be determined by a majority of votes of the members present and voting and in the event of there being an equality of votes, the question shall be decided in the negative.

(12) That every report which the Select Committee proposes to make shall, on adoption by the Select Committee, be laid before Dáil Éireann forthwith, together with any document relating thereto which the Select Committee proposes to publish, whereupon the Select Committee shall be empowered to print and publish such report and the said document, or documents, as the case may be.

(13) That notwithstanding paragraph (12), where the Select Committee has completed Committee Stage of a Bill, it shall be empowered to print and publish the said Bill as amended, where appropriate.

(14) That the quorum of the Select Committee shall be 11, and the quorum of each sub-Committee shall be a number to be decided by the sub-Committee when such sub-Committee is appointed.

(15) That no document received by the Clerk to the Select Committee or a sub-Committee thereof shall be withheld, withdrawn or altered without the knowledge and approval of the Committee or sub-Committee, as may be appropriate.

28th April, 1993:—Committee nominated accordingly consisting of Deputies Theresa Ahearn, Michael Ahern, Bernard Allen, Michael Bell, Paul Bradford, Matt Brennan, Michael Creed, Noel Davern, Síle de Valera, Frances Fitzgerald, Mary Flaherty, Charles Flanagan, Tom Foxe, Pat Gallagher, Jim Higgins, Seán Kenny, Michael P. Kitt, Jimmy Leonard, Liz McManus, Tom Moffat, Donal Moynihan, Breeda Moynihan-Cronin, Liz O’Donnell, Rory O’Hanlon, Seamus Pattison, Máirín Quill, Eoin Ryan, Róisín Shorthall, Dan Wallace and Mary Wallace.

29th April, 1993:—Deputy Dan Wallace discharged and Deputy P. J. Morley appointed in substitution for him.

3 November, 1994:— Deputy Martin Cullen discharged and Deputy Máirín Quill appointed in substitution for him.

30 November, 1993:— Deputies Máirín Quill and Liz O’Donnell discharged and Deputies Helen Keogh and Martin Cullen appointed in substitution for them.

11th May, 1993:—Ordered: That notwithstanding paragraphs (1) of the Orders of Reference of the Select Committees on Legislation and Security, Finance and General Affairs, Social Affairs, and Enterprise and Economic Strategy, the Estimates for the Public Services for the following Departments be referred to the Select Committees for consideration in accordance with the following table, and that where the estimate for a Department is referred to a Select Committee, all other estimates relevant to that Department shall also be referred to that Committee:

TABLE

Select Committee on Legislation and Security:

Defence

Equality and Law Reform

Justice

Select Committee on Finance and General Affairs:

Taoiseach

Tánaiste

Environment

Finance

Select Committee on Social Affairs:

Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht

Health

Education

Social Welfare

Select Committee on Enterprise and Economic Strategy:

Agriculture, Food and Forestry

Enterprise and Employment

Transport, Energy and Communications

Tourism and Trade

Marine

9th June, 1993:—Ordered: That the Select Committee on Social Affairs shall meet on Friday, 11th June, 1993, at 10.15 a.m. to consider and conclude all Estimates relevant to the Department of Education.

15th June, 1993:—Ordered: That the Select Committee on Social Affairs shall meet on Thursday, 17th June, 1993, to consider and conclude, if possible and with the agreement of the Minister, all Estimates relevant to the Department of Health.

29th June, 1993:—Ordered: That the Orders of Reference of the Select Committees on Legislation and Security, Enterprise and Economic Strategy, Finance and General Affairs, and Social Affairs be amended by the addition of the following paragraph after paragraph (15) in all cases:

“(16) That Members of Dáil Éireann, not being members of the Select Committee, may attend meetings and take part in the proceedings of the Select Committee and of its sub-committees without having a right to vote.”

9th July, 1993:—Ordered: That, pursuant to Standing Order 94 (1) of the Standing Orders relative to Public Business and in accordance with paragraphs (1) (iii) of the Orders of Reference of the Select Committees on Legislation and Security, Enterprise and Economic Strategy, and Social Affairs the following Bills shall be referred to those Select Committees in accordance with the following Table and the first meeting of each committee at which the said Bills shall be considered shall be held on the date indicated:

TABLE

Select Committee on Legislation and Security:

Criminal Justice (Public Order) Bill, 1993 — Tuesday, 13th July

Select Committee on Enterprise and Economic Strategy:

Irish Aviation Authority Bill, 1993 — Tuesday, 13th July

Select Committee on Social Affairs:

Matrimonial Home Bill, 1993 — Thursday, 15th July

and the Committees shall report back to the Dáil on the first sitting day after the summer recess, not including the day that the Dáil meets for the visit of the Australian Prime Minister.

25 November, 1993:—Ordered: That, pursuant to Standing Order 94 (1) of the Standing Orders relative to Public Business and in accordance with paragraph (1) (iii) of the Orders of Reference of the Select Committee on Social Affairs the Social Welfare (No. 2) Bill, 1993 shall be referred to that Committee.

1 December, 1993:—Ordered: That it be an instruction to the Select Committee on Social Affairs in the case of the Social Welfare (No. 2) Bill, 1993, that it has power to make provision in the Bill for the amendment of the conditions for receipt of Unemployment Benefit and Disability Benefit to enable volunteer development workers who qualify for such benefits to be paid at the standard rates.

1 December, 1993:—Ordered: That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, the Select Committee on Social Affairs in the case of the Social Welfare (No. 2) Bill, 1993 has power to make provision in the Bill for the amendment of section 62 of the Pensions Act, 1990.

2 December, 1993:—Ordered: That the Select Committee on Social Affairs shall report back to Dáil Éireann on the Social Welfare (No. 2) Bill, 1993 by Tuesday, 7th December, 1993.

7 December, 1993:—Ordered: That the Select Committee on Finance and General Affairs, Social Affairs, Legislation and Security, and Enterprise and Economic Strategy, and the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs shall report back to Dáil Éireann on the Excess Vote for the State Laboratory for 1991, and on any Supplementary or Additional Estimates for the year ending on 31st December, 1993, by Thursday, 16th December, 1993.

22 February, 1994:—That notwithstanding paragraphs (14) of the Orders of Reference of the Select Committees on Legislation and Security, Finance and General Affairs, Social Affairs, and Enterprise and Economic Strategy, the quorum of each Select Committee shall be eight.”.

2 March, 1994:—Ordered: That, pursuant to Standing Order 94 (1) of the Standing Orders relative to Public Business and in accordance with paragraph (1) (iii) of the Orders of Reference of the Select Committee on Social Affairs the Social Welfare Bill, 1994 shall be referred to that Committee.

9 March, 1994:—Ordered: That notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders the Select Committee on Social Affairs in the case of the Social Welfare Bill, 1994 has power to make provision in the Bill to enable the Minister for Social Welfare to enter into contracts, agreements and joint ventures for the provision of consultancy, training and contract services to overseas bodies.

30 March, 1994:—Ordered: That, pursuant to Standing Order 94 (1) of the Standing Orders relative to Public Business and in accordance with paragraph (1) (iii) of the Orders of Reference of the Select Committee on Social Affairs the National Monuments (Amendment) Bill, 1993 shall be referred to that Committee.

12 October, 1994:—Ordered: That, pursuant to Standing Order 94 (1) of the Standing Orders relative to Public Business and in accordance with paragraph (1) (iii) of the Orders of Reference of the Select Committee on Social Affairs the Regional Technical Colleges (Amendment) Bill, 1994 shall be referred to that Committee.

12 October, 1994:—Ordered: That, pursuant to Standing Order 94 (1) of the Standing Orders relative to Public Business and in accordance with paragraph (1) (iii) of the Orders of Reference of the Select Committee on Social Affairs the Dublin Institute of Technology (Amendment) Bill, 1994 shall be referred to that Committee.

27 October, 1994:—Ordered: That, pursuant to Standing Order 94 (1) of the Standing Orders relative to Public Business and in accordance with paragraph (1) (iii) of the Orders of Reference of the Select Committee on Social Affairs the Maternity Protection Bill, 1994 shall be referred to that Committee.