Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Constitution announces a review of the Parliamentary Power of Inquiry

Article 15 of the Constitution Should the Constitution expressly authorise the Houses of the Oireachtas to hold inquiries so that it may exercise its parliamentary accountability functions effectively and advisedly? This is the key question that the Constitution Committee will explore in its review of the parliamentary power of inquiry announced today at a Press Conference in Leinster House.

Commenting Deputy Jim O’Keeffe, Vice-Chairman of the Committee said:
“The challenge of growing executive dominance, and concerns over lack of accountability, have led to a renewed focus on parliament’s power of inquiry.
This review will allow an examination of the powers of the Houses of the Oireachtas to undertake in-depth investigations into matters regarding public policy-making, administrative affairs and cases of maladministration.
In particular, it will address the extent to which legal obstacles to the powers of inquiry have frustrated the work of Oireachtas Committees. The Abbeylara Supreme Court decision suggests that there are, at the moment, significant limitations on the power of Oireachtas Committees to hold such investigations. This shows that the Irish Parliament has much less power in this field than its equivalents in almost all other EU Member States.
Safeguards for witnesses will form a key element of our review. In any parliamentary inquiry it is necessary for the Houses to observe due process and recognise and protect the rights of witnesses and other individuals affected by inquiries.”
The Committee will hold public hearings in Leinster House with expert witnesses, members of the academic community and other interested parties.
The Committee will also invite submissions from members of the public and interested parties. Interested individuals and organisations are invited to submit submissions in writing to the Committee by 3 December 2010. Views expressed in the written submissions and presented at the public hearings will contribute to the Committee’s deliberations and will inform its report, including conclusions and recommendations, which will be presented to the Houses of the Oireachtas and the Government.