Government ‘must have majority on banking inquiry’

The Dáil was suspended for 10 minutes today in a heated row over membership of the committee on the banking inquiry after the Taoiseach said the Government had to have a majority for it to go ahead.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin expressed outrage when Enda Kenny said the inquiry could not go ahead without a Government majority.

Mr Kenny said that “in order for terms of reference to be adopted and for a mandate to be given the Government need to have a majority here and that matter is being considered now by the Senate”.

He added: “Clearly the situation that applies at the moment mean that the Government don’t have a majority.”

When Mr Martin intervened to insist the committee had been chosen, Mr Kenny said: “How do I know what the members will do?”

He added: “The committee can’t adopt terms of reference unless you have a approval from the committee. How do I know what your members will do? I don’t know,” he said to Mr Martin.

When the Fianna Fáil leader tried intervene again Ceann Comhairle Sean Barrett ruled him out of order and insisted he sit down.

When Mr Martin refused the Dáil was suspended for 10 minutes.

The Government had expected to have a majority on the inquiry into the banking crisis but at a meeting of the Seanad committee of selection last week Labour Party nominee Susan O’Keeffe failed to attend.

The committee voted in favour of Fianna Fáil’s Marc MacSharry and Independent Sean Barrett as the two Seanad nominees on the nine-member committee.

Subsequently Seanad Leader Maurice Cummins sought to have the issue referred to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges because of a possible conflict of interest for Senator MacSharry, but refused to reveal the nature of the conflict of interest. He later withdrew his remarks.