Before the Order of Business, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I wish to raise a matter which affects the rights of Deputies in eliciting information in this House. On Friday last, before I left the House, I put down a question addressed to the Minister for Education, asking him to make the increases in the salaries and pensions of national teachers retrospective to September, 1949, the date when the revision was promised by the previous Government. This question did not appear on the Order Paper.
Deputy's Question.
If it did not, it cannot be discussed.
I was since——
It cannot be discussed now. See the Ceann Comhairle about it.
Deputies must have some redress in this matter, when apparently, on the decision of an official of the Dáil, a question which was tabled does not appear on the Order Paper.
The Ceann Comhairle is responsible for those questions.
In that case is the Ceann Comhairle responsible for the fact that Deputy Kitt was not notified until last night?
The question was put in on Tuesday.
It was put in last Friday and I have been in the House since Tuesday.
It cannot be discussed now.
I consider I should have been sent for.
I said it cannot be discussed.
Will the Ceann Comhairle undertake to look into the circumstances?
I have done so.
Is the Ceann Comhairle satisfied that the circumstances do not require any action by him?
Not in this House, and not outside it so far as I have studied the question.
Will the Ceann Comhairle advise us as to what remedy is available to Deputy Kitt in view of the manner in which he has been treated? The point is that the Ceann Comhairle is not responsible.
The Ceann Comhairle is responsible. If there are 80 questions down for a day, the House would not expect the Ceann Comhairle to yet them all. If any doubt arises, it is brought to me to solve. When I saw the question I decided it could not be allowed.
Why was I not sent for up to Wednesday?
I cannot have further discussion.
I was prevented from getting the information I sought affecting the pensions and salaries of the national teachers.