Ministers appearing before committees
Trevor Ó Clochartaigh criticises Ministers and the Taoiseach for failing to attend the Gaeilge, Gaeltacht and Islands committee; procedural exchanges follow over his criticism of the Leader and his being ruled out of order.
Bhí Seanadóirí ag ardú deacrachtaí leis na comhchoistí éagsúla. Tá deacracht mhór ag baint le Buan-Chomhchoiste na Gaeilge, na Gaeltachta agus na nOileán, sé sin nach bhfuil Airí Rialtais ag teacht isteach chuig an gcomhchoiste.
Issues that were raised about co-operation with joint committees are being exacerbated by the fact that Ministers are failing to appear or are using any excuse not to come before committees. That situation arose with the Gaeilge, Gaeltachta and islands committee where numerous Ministers and the Taoiseach have been invited to come before it. The Taoiseach, who is chairing the joint committee on the implementation of the Stratéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge, has declined to come and so have the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Kyne, and the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Heather Humphreys. One would think that at least those Ministers would be able to come, given it is their Department that is dealing with it. I urge the Leader to use his good offices to express our dismay at the lack of engagement.
Since the start of this Seanad I have been calling for a debate on the diaspora and Gaeilge and the Gaeltacht. Is it the situation that they are not co-operating with the Leader in coming into the Seanad? I would have expected those Ministers to have attended a couple of times at this stage for such debates but they have not yet taken place. Can the Leader outline when we will have such debates? He keeps telling me the Ministers are coming into the Seanad but we have not seen them yet. I am getting quite frustrated at this stage that we have not had those debates.
Comment on this
The Senator talks too much about legislation so that is why I cannot bring them in.
Comment on this
It is very strange for the Leader of the House to be complaining about Senators talking too much about legislation when it is the job of a parliament to legislate.