CEANN COMHAIRLE
SPEAKER/CHAIRPERSON
Houses of the
Oireachtas | Leinster House - a short history
Chairperson of Seanad Éireann | Parliamentary
Televising
Government in Parliament | Deputies | Senators
Question Time | Legislation | Parliamentary Committees
Houses of the Oireachtas and the European Union
AN CEANN COMHAIRLE
Chairperson of Dáil Éireann
The first business of a new Dáil after a General Election
is to elect from its Members the Ceann Comhairle (Speaker / Chairperson) who presides
impartially and with authority over the business and proceedings of the House. The
Standing Orders (Rules) of Dáil Éireann prescribe the powers and duties of the Ceann
Comhairle in relation to parliamentary business e.g. the proper conduct of debate,
Parliamentary Questions, amendments to Bills and motions, disorderly conduct. Under the
Constitution, Dáil Éireann also elects a Leas-Cheann Comhairle (Deputy Chairperson).
Is é an chéad ghnó de chuid Dála nua tar éis
Olltoghcháin an Ceann Comhairle (Cathaoirleach) a thoghadh as a Comhaltas féin agus is
é an Ceann Comhairle a bhíonn i gceannas go cothrom agus le húdarás ar ghnó agus
imeachtaí an Tí. Leagann Buan-Orduithe (Rialacha) Dháil Éireann amach cumhachtaí agus
dualgais an Cheann Comhairle i dtaca le gnó parlaiminte e.g. seoladh ceart
díospóireachta, ceisteanna parlaiminte, leasuithe ar Bhillí agus ar thairiscintí,
iompar mí-ordúil. Faoin mBunreacht, toghann Dáil Éireann Leas-Cheann Comhairle
freisin.
The Ceann Comhairle formally opens each day's sitting by
reading the official prayer.
The Ceann Comhairle is the sole judge of order and has a
range of powers and functions, namely:
(i) calls on Members to speak and all speeches must be
addressed to the Chair
(ii) puts such questions to the House as are required,
supervises Divisions and declares the results
(iii) has authority to suppress disorder, to enforce prompt
obedience to Rulings and may order Members to withdraw from the House or name them for
suspension by the House itself for a period
(iv) in the case of great disorder can suspend or adjourn
the House.
An important power reserved to the Ceann Comhairle is to
accept and put a motion for the closure of a debate when in his view, the issue has been
adequately discussed.
In relation to the general business of Dáil Éireann, the
Ceann Comhairle has a variety of duties. Each sitting of the House is governed by an Order
Paper which is prepared under his direction. Motions, amendments and Parliamentary
Questions are examined individually to ensure that they comply with Standing Orders and
precedents. The Ceann Comhairle also has discretion to shorten the formal notice required
for motions and amendments.
Because of the party structure of political representation
in Dáil Éireann, the Ceann Comhairle endeavours to give fair representation to all
Parties including Independent Members.
On assuming office and to ensure his unique role of
presiding impartially over the proceedings, the Ceann Comhairle by tradition precludes
himself from active participation in politics but remains free to make representations on
behalf of constituents. The Constitution recognises this unique role and provides for the
automatic return (without election) of an out-going Ceann Comhairle who wishes to be a
Member of the incoming Dáil.
The Ceann Comhairle is Chairperson of the Committee of
Procedure and Privileges which considers matters of procedure generally and recommends any
additions or amendments to the Standing Orders that may be considered necessary. The
Committee may also consider and report to the House as to Members' privileges.
While the Standing Orders regulate the proceedings of the
House they do not form a complete code of day- to- day procedure: they must be read in the
context of how they have been applied or developed by the Chair over the years. The
primary source for this is what are termed "Rulings of the Chair", which are
decisions by the Chair on matters not specifically covered by Standing Orders or which
apply the Standing Orders in specific circumstances. These decisions will have been made
over a considerable period and by quite a number of different Chairpersons ( whether as
Ceann Comhairle or Leas-Cheann Comhairle ). The Chair is not necessarily bound by previous
Rulings but, in a given situation, a Ruling is likely to be adhered to in the interests of
consistency.
Under Article 15.11 2° of the Constitution, the Ceann
Comhairle has and must exercise a casting vote in the case of an equality of votes.
To assist him in the discharge of his parliamentary duties,
the Ceann Comhairle nominates a panel of temporary Chairpersons from the membership of the
Dáil.
The Constitution provides that the Ceann Comhairle shall
certify any Bill which in his opinion, is a Money Bill to be a Money Bill and subject to
certain constitutional safeguards, his certificate is final and conclusive. The importance
of this procedure lies in the fact that Seanad Éireann can only make recommendations but
not amendments to a Money Bill and must pass it within 21 days ( instead of 90 days for a
non-money Bill ).
The Ceann Comhairle represents Dáil Éireann at
international meetings of parliamentarians (Inter Parliamentary Union ), Conferences of
Speakers of Parliament, the Council of Europe, the European Parliament, and is the
official host to visiting parliamentary delegations.
In the absence or temporary incapacity of the President of
Ireland , the Ceann Comhairle is a member of the Commission which exercises and performs
the powers and functions conferred on the President. The Ceann Comhairle is a member of
the Council of State which aids and counsels the President in relation to the exercise and
performance by her of certain powers.
The Ceann Comhairle is ex officio Chairperson of the
Civil Service Commission, the Local Appointments Commission and of the Council established
for the recognition of deeds of bravery.
Under the Electoral Acts, the Ceann Comhairle is ex
officio a Member of the Appeal Board which is established to decide on any doubt,
dispute or question which may arise in connection with the Register of Political Parties.
The Ceann Comhairle is ex officio a member of the Appeal Board which is established
to hear and decide appeals from decisions of the Seanad Returning Officer under the Seanad
Electoral (Panel Members) Act, 1947.
Faoi na hAchtanna Toghcháin, is Comhalta ex officio an
Ceann Comhairle den Bhord Achomhairc a bunaíodh chun cinneadh a dhéanamh i dtaca le haon
amhras, díospóid nó ceist a d'fhéadfadh a bheith ann i dtaca le Clár na bPáirtithe
Polaitíochta. Is Comhalta ex officio an Ceann Comhairle den Bhord Achomhairc a bunaíodh
chun achomhairc in aghaidh chinntí Cheann Comhairimh an tSeanaid faoi Acht Thoghcháin an
tSeanaid (Rolla-Chomhaltaí), 1947, a éisteacht agus cinneadh a dhéanamh orthu.
Houses
of the Oireachtas | Leinster House - a short history
Chairperson of Seanad Éireann | Parliamentary
Televising
Government in Parliament | Deputies | Senators
Qustion Time | Legislation | Parliamentary Committees
Houses of the Oireachtas and the European Union
For more detailed information, please contact
Public Relations Office, Leinster House, Dublin 2.
Tel: 01-6183066 / 3166
Fax: 01-6184118
E-mail: info@oireachtas.irlgov.ie
Web site: www.irlgov.ie/oireachtas
|
