I am sure the Minister of State is aware that not all Deputies are represented on the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. In view of that, would it not be appropriate to circulate draft amendments to Standing Orders to those Deputies who are not members of the committee so that their views could be considered by the committee before the committee make decisions?

(Dún Laoghaire): It would be impossible to have a Committee on Procedure and Privileges consisting of 116 members. Membership at the moment represents all Members of the House and when amendments to Standing Orders are approved by the committee they come into the House for debate, and any Member is entitled to propose amendments or to vote against proposed amendments.

The Minister was wrong when he said the committee has representation from all parties in the House.

(Dún Laoghaire): I did not say that.

The committee have members of Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Labour. Would the Minister not accept that it would be at least a courtesy to inform those Members who are not on the committee about changes proposed so that they could let the committee have their views on them before a decision is made on amendments to Standing Orders?

(Dún Laoghaire): I said it would be impossible to have a committee consisting of 116 members. Those members represent, in the views and considerations they put before the committee, all the Members of this House, irrespective of political party. When the committee want to make recommendations to the House they do so by putting a motion before the House. Any Member can then come in and debate, amend or seek to amend the proposals of the committee.