Select Committee on Legislation and Security of Dáil Éireann (Privilege and Immunity) Act, 1994

SCHEDULE

Order of Dáil Éireann made on 6th December, 1994

Section 1 .

“(1) That the Standing Orders of Dáil Éireann relative to Public Business be suspended today pursuant to Standing Order 143 for the particular purposes of hearing statements and the answering of members' questions to the Taoiseach and to each Minister involved in meetings of Ministers on 11th, 13th and 14th November, 1994, on the circumstances surrounding:

(a) the appointment of the President of the High Court on Friday, 11th November, 1994;

(b) the request on Sunday, 13th November, 1994, from the Taoiseach and the Minister for Justice to the Attorney General to re-examine all details of the Brendan Smyth case;

(c) the alleged request from the Taoiseach to the then President of the High Court to resign on Monday, 14th November, 1994;

(d) the draft reply and covering letter provided to the Taoiseach by the Attorney General in advance of the Dáil debate on Tuesday, 15th November, 1994, on the issue of the prior application of section 50 of the Extradition (Amendment) Act, 1987 , and the identification of all persons involved in, or approving, the draft reply and covering letter; and

(e) the identification of all those involved in the preparation of the Taoiseach's Dáil speech for Tuesday, 15th November, 1994; and

(2) that the said proceedings shall be brought to a conclusion at 10.30 p.m. tonight and that the following arrangements shall apply;

(a) the Dáil shall sit later than 8.30 p.m. tonight and the hour at which business is to be interrupted shall be 10.30 p.m.;

(b) the statement of the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, the leaders of the Fine Gael Party, the Labour Party, the Progressive Democrats Party and the Democratic Left Party shall not exceed 30 minutes in each case;

(c) statements from other members shall not exceed 20 minutes in each case: provided that members may share time;

(3) at the conclusion of the statements, the matters referred to at paragraph (1) shall be referred to the Select Committee on Legislation and Security for the purpose of questioning all persons the Committee deems appropriate. The Committee shall meet at 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday, 7th December and shall report to Dáil Éireann on Thursday, 8th December for as long as is necessary; and

(4) at the conclusion of business, the Dáil shall adjourn until 10.30 a.m. on Thursday next.”.