I move:
That Deputy Barrett be suspended from the service of the House.
Suspension of Member
The motion is that Deputy Barrett be suspended from the House.
Would you not hear Deputy Barrett's explanation?
The Leas-Cheann Comhairle was in charge of the House——
(Interruptions.)
Would the Deputy please resume his seat?
Mr. Barrett
I am sorry; I do not wish to be discourteous to you. I was treated in a way no Deputy should be treated.
Deputy Barrett is discourteous to me as much as to the House.
Mr. Barrett
I am not discourteous to you.
I cannot allow Deputy Barrett to continue. The Leas-Cheann Comhairle was in charge of the House. He has reported to me that Deputy Barrett refused to obey the instructions of the Chair. I have reported to this House and it has been moved that Deputy Barrett be suspended from the service of the House. I am putting the motion.
Question put and declared carried.
Deputy Barrett will please withdraw from the service of the House.
Mr. Barrett
I must protest again.
Deputy Barrett withdrew from the House.
On a point of order, I think it desirable that it be put on the record that before the Leas-Cheann Comhairle sent for you, he was asked to send for you earlier in relation to a dispute over Private Members' Time and before the incident involving Deputy Barrett arose, but he refused to do so.
The Leas-Cheann Comhairle has reported to me. He was the authority then.
The Leas-Cheann Comhairle overruled your earlier ruling today and refused to listen to anybody.
I did not make any ruling.
You made a ruling with regard to the three minutes.
We offered you three minutes.
The position is that the Deputy concluding got 15 minutes which he is entitled to, according to the Standing Orders. Other Deputies who spoke in the debate curtailed their speeches. They are entitled to 30 minutes.
(Cavan): On a point of order——
The Chair is speaking.
The Leas-Cheann Comhairle did not allow the time.
He was wrong in that.
Deputy Fitzpatrick is entitled to 15 minutes. He got 15 minutes to conclude. The Leas-Cheann Comhairle was entitled to call on him to conclude.
And see that the Deputy got 15 minutes. The Leas-Cheann Comhairle was entitled to interrupt at 7.18, not at 7.15.
I am not here to try the ruling of the Leas-Cheann Comhairle. It is laid out clearly in the Standing Orders that there are 40 minutes for the mover. Thirty minutes are allowed for other speakers and 15 minutes are allowed for the mover to conclude.
A mistake was made. He was entitled to three more minutes.
I reminded Deputy Cosgrave that he was infringing on the time of Deputy Fitzpatrick. Deputy Fitzpatrick said he was allowing his time to Deputy Cosgrave.
On the point of order, the position is——
May I make it clear, Sir, from the point of view of the Government, in so far as we were concerned, we were perfectly prepared by agreement to allow Deputy Fitzpatrick his extra three minutes if he wanted them, but clearly he did not want them. He wanted to carry the debate over to tomorrow.
Cheap electioneering.
(Cavan): The Leas-Cheann Comhairle ruled that I had three minutes. The Leas-Cheann Comhairle positively and clearly ruled that I had a further three minutes and then changed his mind and refused to give them to me.
I have no doubt that the Leas-Cheann Comhairle understands Standing Orders as they are.
He did not.
I must therefore put the motion.
The motion was put.
The motion was put and defeated.
There were still three minutes of Private Members' Time to go. My point of order is this, that notwithstanding the fact that the debate had not concluded, the Chair put the motion and a certain decision will be recorded on the record of this House which is in breach of the Standing Orders of this House and any resolution purporting to be so passed is invalid.
Well done.
You have not even voted against the pensioners, although you tried to. The vote was invalid.
When Deputy Fitzpatrick had concluded, that was the time to tender the argument. Deputy Fitzpatrick had concluded.
He had not.
Am I to conclude, Sir?
Yes.