Ceann Comhairle John O'Donoghue has cautioned against the Oireachtas being joined to proceedings taken by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern against the Mahon tribunal, because of the financial implications for the taxpayer.
Mr O'Donoghue was responding in the Dáil as Labour leader Eamon Gilmore raised the issue for a second time. On Tuesday, Mr Gilmore asked if the Oireachtas would get involved in the case, because the Taoiseach said it was about parliamentary privilege.
The Ceann Comhairle had written to Mr Gilmore and said there was a provision under legislation for the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission to be joined to proceedings if authorised by the Dáil to do so.
Yesterday Mr Gilmore asked if, "given the Taoiseach's statement yesterday concerning the purpose of his visit to the High Court - to protect parliamentary privilege - does he intend to bring a motion to the Dáil on behalf of the Government to authorise the commission to become a notice party to the action". Mr Ahern said that on the issue that "dealing with my own case, I have given no consideration to it".
Mr Gilmore said: "But this is the whole point - it is interesting that the Taoiseach describes it as his own case. Yesterday, he told the House that this is all about parliamentary privilege and that a constitutional principle is involved."
Mr Ahern insisted that it was.
The Ceann Comhairle said it was a "matter in the first instance for the Committee on Procedure and Privileges to decide whether it would recommend that the Houses of the Oireachtas should be joined as a party to the relevant proceedings". He said it was his view the "Oireachtas should be very slow to take such a course of action because clearly in all those cases the taxpayer is possibly exposed to liability for costs".
It was "a step that should be taken very carefully and to which very deep consideration should be given prior to any move". If Mr Gilmore wanted it to be raised by the committee, "he will no doubt have a representative or representatives who can do so on his behalf".
