asked the Minister for External Affairs whether there is any Commission appointed by him or by the Government at present in existence; and if he will state the role of each such Commission, the names of the members thereof and their qualifications.

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative and the second part does not, therefore, arise.

52.

asked the Minister for Transport and Power whether there is any Commission appointed by him or by the Government at present in existence; and if he will state the role of each such Commission, the names of the members thereof and their qualifications.

In so far as my Department is concerned, no commission is at present in existence.

53.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs whether there is any Commission appointed by him or by the Government at present in existence; and if he will state the role of each such Commission, the names of the members thereof and their qualifications.

The answer is "no" so far as my Department is concerned.

54.

asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries whether there is any Commission appointed by him or by the Government at present in existence; and if he will state the role of each such Commission, the names of the members thereof and their qualifications.

The information sought is as follows:—

55.

asked the Minister for Local Government whether there is any Commission appointed by him or by the Government at present in existence; and if he will state the role of each such Commission, the names of the members thereof and their qualifications.

No commission appointed by me is at present in existence.

56.

asked the Minister for Lands whether there is any Commission appointed by him or by the Government at present in existence; and if he will state the role of each such Commission, the names of the members thereof and their qualifications.

As far as my Department is concerned the answer is none.

57.

asked the Minister for the Gaeltacht whether there is any Commission appointed by him or by the Government at present in existence; and if he will state the role of each such Commission, the names of the members thereof and their qualifications.

Níl aon Choimisiún dá eithéid sin ann.

58.

asked the Minister for Defence whether there is any Commission appointed by him or by the Government at present in existence; and if he will state the role of each such Commission, the names of the members thereof and their qualifications.

There is no Commission appointed by the Minister for Defence or appointed by the Government and operating under the aegis of the Department of Defence, at present in existence.

59.

asked the Minister for Labour whether there is any Commission appointed by him or by the Government at present in existence; and if he will state the role of each such Commission, the names of the members thereof and their qualifications.

The answer is "no."

60.

asked the Minister for Finance whether there is any Commission appointed by him or by the Government at present in existence; and if he will state the role of each such Commission, the names of the members thereof and their qualifications.

The only body of the type referred to so far as I am concerned is the Public Services Organisation Review Group.

The terms of reference of the Group are:—

"Having regard to the growing responsibilities of Government, to examine and report on the organisation of the Departments of State at the higher levels, including the appropriate distribution of functions as between both Departments themselves and Departments and other bodies."

Its members are:—

Mr. Liam St. J. Devlin, Chairman, M. Atkins, Ltd. and of British & Irish Steampacket Co., Ltd.

Lieut.-General Sir Geoffrey Thompson, Director, Arthur Guinness, Son & Co., Ltd.

Professor P. Leahy, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, University College, Dublin.

Mr. T.J. Barrington, Director, Institute of Public Administration.

Dr. J.F. Dempsey, shortly retiring as General Manager of Aer Lingus.

Dr. Thekla J. Beere, formerly Secretary, Department of Transport & Power.

Mr. L.M. FitzGerald, former Assistant Secretary, Department of Finance.

61.

asked the Minister for Justice whether there is any Commission appointed by him or by the Government at present in existence; and if he will state the role of each such Commission, the names of the members thereof and their qualifications.

The answers to the questions are as follows:—

Landlord and Tenant Commission.

The terms of reference of the Commission, which was set up on 12th January, 1966, are

(1) To inquire into the working of the law relating to landlord and tenant (other than the Rent Restrictions Act, 1960) and to recommend such amendments, if any, in the law as the Commission think proper.

(2) To furnish an interim report on the provisions relating to the grant of new tenancies under Part III of the Landlord and Tenant Act, 1931, and on any other aspects of the law which in the opinion of the Commission should be given priority.

The following questions were referred to the Commission in September, 1966, as being "other aspects of the law" referred to in (2) above—

(1) Whether any persons, other than those given the right to a reversionary lease by the Landlord and Tenant (Reversionary Leases) Act, 1958, should be given such right;

(2) Whether any persons, other than those proposed to be given the right to purchase the fee simple by the Landlord and Tenant (Ground Rents) Bill, 1965, should be given such right.

The members of the Commission are as follows:

His Honour Judge J.C. Conroy, Judge of the Circuit Court (Chairman); Mr. Louis de Courcy, Auctioneer; Mr. Daniel J. Stephenson, Auctioneer; Professor Patrick Lynch, Economist; Mr. William A. Tormey, Solicitor; Mr. Roy Donovan, Valuer; Mr. John S. O'Connor, Solicitor.

Committee on Court Practice and Procedure.

The terms of reference of the Committee, which was set up on 13th April, 1962, are

(a) to inquire into the operation of the courts and to consider whether the cost of litigation could be reduced and the convenience of the public and the efficient despatch of civil and criminal business more effectively secured by amending the law in relation to the jurisdiction of the various courts and by making changes, by legislation or otherwise, in practice and procedure;

(b) to consider whether, and if so to what extent, the existing right to jury trial in civil actions should be abolished or modified;

(c) to make interim reports on any matter or matters arising out of the Committee's terms of reference as may from time to time appear to the Committee to merit immediate attention or to warrant separate treatment.

The members of the Committee are as follows: The Hon. Mr. Justice Brian Walsh, Judge of the Supreme Court (Chairman); Cecil Lavery, Senior Counsel and former Judge of the Supreme Court; The Hon. Mr. Justice John Kenny, Judge of the High Court; His Honour Judge J.C. Conroy, Judge of the Circuit Court; Justice Cathal Ó Floinn, President of the District Court; E.C. Micks, Senior Counsel; Dermot P. Shaw, Solicitor; Brendan P. McCormack, Solicitor; Dr. Christopher S. Andrews, former Chairman CIE and presently Chairman, Radio Telefís Éireann; Dr. Juan N. Greene, formerly President of National Farmers Association; Robert J. Law, Esq., Work Study Expert; Kenneth P. O'Reilly-Hyland, Company Director.

Committee on Bankruptcy Law.

The terms of reference of the Committee, which was set up on 23rd August, 1962, are

To consider and report on the law and practice concerning bankruptcy, the administration of insolvent estates of deceased persons and matters relating thereto: and to recommend the legislation that, in the Committee's opinion, is necessary and desirable to consolidate and amend the law.

The members of the Committee are as follows: The Hon. Mr. Justice G. Budd, Judge of the Supreme Court (Chairman); Dr. R.G.H. Carter, Solicitor; Mr. Desmond J. Collins, Solicitor; Mr. J.V. Clancy, Official Assignee; Mr. J.D. Traynor, Chartered Accountant; Mr. Liam D. McGonagle, Solicitor; Mr. P. Terry, Principal, Department of Justice.

62.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether there is any Commission appointed by him or by the Government at present in existence; and if he will state the role of each such Commission, the names of the members thereof and their qualifications.

There is no Commission appointed by me in existence.

63.

asked the Minister for Education whether there is any Commission appointed by him or by the Government at present in existence; and if he will state the role of each such Commission, the names of the members thereof and their qualifications.

The only Commission appointed by the Minister for Education and at present in existence is the Commission on Higher Education. Its terms of reference were as follows:

Having regard to the educational needs and to the financial and other resources of the country, to inquire into and to make recommendations in relation to university, professional, technological and higher education generally, with special reference to the following:—

(a) the general organisation and administration of education at these levels;

(b) the nature and extent of the provision to be made for such education;

(c) the machinery for the making of academic and administrative appointments to the staffs of the Universities and University Colleges; and

(d) the provision of courses of higher education through Irish.

The names and qualifications of the members are as follows:—

Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh, Chief Justice, Chairman; Tomás Breathnach, M.Agr.Sc., Ph.D., D.Sc., Director, Foras Talúntais; Professor Herbert Butterfield, D.Litt., M.A., Vice-Chancellor and Professor of Modern History, University of Cambridge; Professor Charles Frederick Carter, M.A., Manchester University; Lieut.General Michael Joseph Costello, Company Director; Martin J. Cranley, M.Sc., Director, Institute of Industrial Research and Standards; An Bráthair Séamus de Faoite, B.A., Scoil na mBráthar, Sráid Sesnáin, Luimneach; Laurence Gohery, B.Agr.Sc., Príomh Oide, Scoil na gCeard, Port Omna; Dr. Juan N. Greene, Agriculturist; James J. McElligott, Ex-Secretary, Department of Finance and Ex-Director, Central Bank; John Liddy, N.T.; Christopher Stephen Andrews, D.Econ.Sc., Chairman, Radio Telefís Éireann Authority; Professor John Joseph McHenry, M.A., D.Sc., F.Inst.P., President, University College, Cork; The Reverend Patrick John McLoughlin, B.D., D.Sc., P.P., Carrigart, Member of the Governing Body of the School of Cosmic Physics, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, and former Vice-President, St. Patrick's College, Maynooth; The Most Reverend William Philbin, D.D., Bishop of Down and Connor; Professor James Mitchell, B.Sc., B.E., F.G.S., Clárathóir, Coláiste na hOllscoile, Gaillimh; Patrick G. Murphy, B.Sc., M.E., M.I.E.E., M.I.Mech.E., E.S.B.; Máirín Ní Mhuirgheasa, M.A., (Máirín, Bean Uí Chinnéide); Domhnall Ó Buachalla, B.A., Secondary Teacher; Seán Ó Cadhla, M.A., ex-Chief Inspector of Primary Schools; Seán Ó Díomasaigh, former Secretary, Department of Agriculture; Liam Ó Luanaigh, Business Man, ex-Cathaoirleach Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge; Professor Theodore William Moody, M.A., Ph.D., D.Litt, Trinity College, Dublin; The Right Reverend Richard Gordon Perdue, D.D., Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross; Phillis, Bean Sheáin T. Uí Cheallaigh, M.Sc.; Professor Eoin O'Malley, M.Ch., F.R.C.S.I., University College, Dublin.

64.

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether there is any Commission appointed by him or by the Government at present in existence; and if he will state the role of each such Commission, the names of the members thereof and their qualifications.

I take it the Deputy's question refers to temporary Commissions, as normally understood, and, on that understanding, the answer is "no".

65.

asked the Minister for Health whether there is any Commission appointed by him or by the Government at present in existence; and if he will state the role of each such Commission, the names of the members thereof and their qualifications.

On the assumption that Commission has the ordinary meaning of an ad hoc commission of inquiry the answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. The second part does not, therefore, arise.