Committee Reports > List of Committees > Joint > 1996 > Committee on Women's Rights (4th Committee) > Report No. 06 - Equality From Employment Equality Agency to Equality Authority

JOINT COMMITTEE ON WOMENS’S RIGHTS

ORDERS OF REFERENCE

DÁIL ÉIREANN

(1) That, for the purpose of facilitating consultation between the Houses of the Oireachtas and representatives of organisations concerned with the position of women in Irish society, a Select Committee consisting of 11 Members of Dáil Éireann be appointed to be joined with a Select Committee to be appointed by Seanad Éireann to form the Joint Committee on Women’s Rights.

(2) That the Joint Committee shall-

(a)examine or propose legislative measures which would materially affect the interests of women;

(b)consider means by which any areas of discrimination against women can be eliminated and by which the obstacles to their full participation in the political, social and economic life of the community can be removed;

(c) consider specific economic and social disadvantages applying to women in the home and, bearing in mind the special nature of their contribution to the community, to recommend effective policy and administrative changes to help eliminate these disadvantages and report to the Houses of the Oireachtas thereon.

(3) That the Joint Committee shall have power to send for persons, papers and records and, subject to the consent of the Minister for Finance, to engage the services of persons with specialist or technical knowledge to assist it for the purposes of particular enquiries.

(4) That the Joint Committee, previous to the commencement of business, shall elect one of its members to be Chairman, who shall have only one vote.

(5) That all questions in the Joint 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.

(6) That the Joint Committee shall have power to print and publish from time to time minutes of evidence taken before it, together with such related documents as it thinks fit.

(7) That four members of the Joint Committee shall form a quorum, of whom at least one shall be a Member of Dáil Éireann and at least one shall be a Member of Seanad Éireann.

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

Extensions to the Orders of Reference contained in Dáil Order Paper. (1 March 1995)

That the Orders of Reference of the Joint Committee on Women’s Rights be amended by the addition of the following paragraphs after paragraph (8):-

(9) That the Joint Committee shall have the power to discuss and draft proposals for legislative changes and new legislation for recommendation to Ministers which are relevant to the matters comprehended by paragraph (2).

(10) That all appointees to high office in the State shall attend meetings of the Joint Committee, as appropriate, and subject to the legal constraints of their office, to discuss issues which are relevant to the matters comprehended by paragraph (2).

(11) That Ministers and Ministers of State shall appear before the Joint Committee to discuss current policies relevant to the matters comprehended by paragraph (2) And the implementation of such policies in their Departments. A Minister or Minister of State may request the Joint Committee to convene to enable him or her to explain current or proposed policy or to initiate a debate thereon.

(12) That in the absence from a particular meeting of the Joint Committee of a member who is a member of Dáil Éireann, another member of Dáil Éireann nominated by the Party or group within the meaning of Standing Order 90 to which the absent member belongs may take part in the proceedings and vote in his or her stead: Provided that in the case of a substitute nominated by a Party which is a Government Party, such substitute may be a member of another Government Party.

(13) That members of Dáil Éireann, not being members of the Joint Committee, may attend meetings and take part in the proceedings of the Joint Committee without having a right to vote.’.”

(1) That, for the purpose of facilitating consultation between the Houses of the Oireachtas and representatives of organisations concerned with the position of women in Irish society, a Select Committee consisting of 6 Members of Seanad Éireann be appointed to be joined with a Select Committee to be appointed by Dáil Éireann to form the Joint Committee on Women’s Rights.

(2) That the Joint Committee shall-

(a)examine or propose legislative measures which would materially affect the interests of women;

(b)consider means by which any areas of discrimination against women can be eliminated and by which the obstacles to their full participation in the political, social and economic life of the community can be removed;

(c)consider specific economic and social disadvantages applying to women in the home and, bearing in mind the special nature of their contribution to the community, to recommend effective policy and administrative changes to help eliminate these disadvantages >and report to the Houses of the Oireachtas thereon.

(3) That the Joint Committee shall have power to send for persons, papers and records and, subject to the consent of the Minister for Finance, to engage the services of persons with specialist or technical knowledge to assist it for the purposes of particular enquiries.

(4) That the Joint Committee, previous to the commencement of business, shall elect one of its members to be Chairman, who shall have only one vote.

(5) That all questions in the Joint 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.

(6) That the Joint Committee shall have power to print and publish from time to time minutes of evidence taken before it, together with such related documents as it thinks fit.

(7) That four members of the Joint Committee shall form a quorum, of whom at least one shall be a Member of Dáil Éireann and at least one shall be a Member of Seanad Éireann.

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

Extensions to the Orders of Reference contained in Seanad Order Paper. (March 1995)

That the Orders of Reference of the Joint Committee on Women’s Rights be amended by the addition of the following paragraphs after paragraph (8):-

(9) That the Joint Committee shall have the power to discuss and draft proposals for legislative changes and new legislation for recommendation to Ministers which are relevant to the matters comprehended by paragraph (2).

(10) That all appointees to high office in the State shall attend meetings of the Joint Committee, as appropriate, and subject to the legal constraints of their office, to discuss issues which are relevant to the matters comprehended by paragraph (2).

(11) That Ministers and Ministers of State shall appear before the Joint Committee to discuss current policies relevant to the matters comprehended by paragraph (2) And the implementation of such policies in their Departments. A Minister or Minister of State may request the Joint Committee to convene to enable him or her to explain current or proposed policy or to initiate a debate thereon.

(12) That in the absence from a particular meeting of the Joint Committee of a member who is a member of Seanad Éireann, another member of Seanad Éireann nominated by the Party or group within the meaning of Standing Order 90 to which the absent member belongs may take part in the proceedings and vote in his or her stead: Provided that in the case of a substitute nominated by a Party which is a Government Party, such substitute may be a member of another Government Party.

(13) That members of Seanad Éireann, not being members of the Joint Committee, may attend meetings and take part in the proceedings of the Joint Committee without having a right to vote.’.”

List of members of the Fourth Joint Committee on Women’s Rights

* Appointed on 30 May 1996 in substitution for John Connor T.D.