If it is in order, I will raise a matter under Any Other Business to be of assistance to members.
Business of Joint Committee.
The Deputy must be brief.
I will be very brief. I have proposed to the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs that the papal nuncio be invited to a joint meeting of the Committees on Foreign Affairs and Health and Children. The purpose of the meeting would be to have the papal nuncio address issues of relevance arising from the Murphy commission report and report to the committees on what assistance he and the Vatican will give the Murphy commission in its further deliberations on the Dublin and Cloynes dioceses and other dioceses that may be investigated. I suggest the Chairman consider the proposal or place it on the agenda for the next meeting. While it would not be possible to hold a meeting this side of Christmas, such a meeting could be useful.
The Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs has had a number of ambassadors before it addressing various issues and has held joint meetings with the Committee on European Affairs. The Murphy commission report is uniquely relevant to the Committees on Health and Children and Foreign and Affairs. The proposal could be considered as part of our work programme for the new year.
We will ask the conveners to examine the Deputy's proposal in the context of the work programme for the period after Christmas.
As someone who does not have any animosity towards the church, with which I am in reasonably good standing, this is not any of the State's business. If people are to be charged, they should be charged.
That is not the issue, which is to ensure——
We will not have a debate on the issue.
The question of whether people will be charged is a completely separate matter.
The joint committee adjourned at 3.25 p.m. until 3 p.m. on Tuesday, 15 December 2009.