asked the Taoiseach whether there is any record of any case between 1923 and 1957 in which a Minister refused to receive all the members from any constituency when such members requested to be received unaccompanied by any other person.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Reception of Members by Ministers.
As the Deputy will realise, to get the information asked for by him would necessitate a search of the daily records of all Government Departments over a period of 35 years. I do not think that the value of the information sought by the Deputy would justify the expenditure of official time that would be involved in such a search.
Moreover, the question seems to be based on the assumption that there was a case in 1958 in which a Minister refused to receive all the members of the Dáil for a particular constituency when such members requested to be received unaccompanied by any other person. I am not aware that there was, in fact, any such case.
If the Taoiseach is not aware that there was any such case, and if the Ceann Comhairle permits me, will he listen to the adjournment debate which I propose to initiate to-night?
asked the Taoiseach if he is aware of any case where a Minister of the previous Government refused to receive members of the Dáil representing any constituency.
I, personally, have no information, one way or the other, as to whether any member of the last Government refused to receive a deputation of the members of the Dáil for a particular constituency.
In view of the implication underlying the Deputy's question, I should add that I am not aware of any case in which a member of the present Government has refused to receive such a deputation.
Is the Taoiseach aware that the Minister for Lands is one Minister who refused to meet such a deputation arranged, as this was, by a member of his own Party?
I am not so aware. If the Deputy will listen to the answer to Question No. 64 he will hear that there was no such case.
I will deal with that when I come to it.