It is proposed to take No. 6 — Votes 20 to 25 inclusive, and Votes 47 and 36.
Order of Business.
Would the Leas-Cheann Comhairle tell me why the Redundancy Payments Bill is not included in the Order of Business today?
It will be in tomorrow.
I thought we were in a great hurry with it. Is there a specific reason why it is not on today?
Is there a specific reason?
The only reason it is on this week at all is the Labour Party's filibustering last week.
The Taoiseach should have a little more courtesy in this House. The position is that without consulting anybody and without reference to anybody, the Bill was left off today.
There were repetitive speeches from those benches last week.
Deputies
You were not here.
It will be on tomorrow and you will have an opportunity to finish it.
Will the Taoiseach not agree that but for the Labour Party, people over 65 years would not have been covered by the Bill?
I do not know why the Taoiseach is so touchy today——
I did not say a word.
——the only reason Deputy Tully stood up was to ask why the Redundancy Payments Bill was not on today, and may I ask if it is possible to bring it on, say, at 6 or 7 o'clock?
It will be on tomorrow and the Labour Party will get an ample opportunity to discuss it fully and complete the Committee Stage.
That is not the point.
A further example of Fianna Fáil arrogance.
Did you not hold it up deliberately last week for some reason or another?
That is untrue.
Will the Taoiseach not agree that our amendments will do something to improve it?
You should be the last in the world to talk about filibustering. You held up the Local Authorities (Works) Bill for months to keep people out of work.
(Interruptions.)
A Leas-Cheann Comhairle, I tabled a Parliamentary Question addressed to the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs regarding a programme referring to the conditions of Irish emigrants about which I have received the most courteous letter from you, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, expressing regret that the Minister had no responsibility in the matter. May I inquire whether this is your ruling or whether, when the question was forwarded to the Minister, he indicated to you that he had no responsibility in the matter? If this is the manner in which the programme to which my question related is to be dealt with, what means have I, as a Deputy, of expressing my opinion or extracting information from the Government in relation to this programme, or in relation to the other programme regarding the making of a film in Russia in connection with the 50th Anniversary there? Would the Chair be good enough——
I must point out that there may not be any discussion on the ruling of the Chair in these matters. The Deputy's question was carefully considered by the Chair, and in view of the fact that the Minister had no responsibility, the Chair ruled accordingly.
I do not desire to argue with the Chair but is the Chair of the opinion that the Minister has no responsibility for a programme which is a slander on Irish emigrants, anti-Catholic and anti-national? Surely the Minister must have some responsibility in the matter?
The Chair understands that the Minister has no responsibility for the day to day activities of Telefís Éireann.
But the Chair will agree with me that this would not be a day to day activity.
This would be policy.
This would be policy. If it is the policy of Telefís Éireann to put on the screen for television viewers anti-Catholic and anti-Irish propaganda, surely the Minister must have some means of extracting information? Would the Chair be prepared to reconsider the matter?
The Chair will not reconsider the matter. The Chair gave every consideration to the Deputy's question and because of the fact that the Minister had no responsibility for those activities of Telefís Éireann, the Chair ruled accordingly.
I presume that this decision was taken last week by the Ceann Comhairle. Would the Leas-Cheann Comhairle now be prepared to reconsider this matter so that I may obtain the necessary information in regard to, firstly, the emigrants programme and, secondly, the making of this film in Russia by Telefís Éireann? I am deeply interested and I think in the national interest the Minister should address this House on any queries that are made in this regard. My information is that any questions in relation to Telefís Éireann which the Minister wants to reply to he answers and on any questions he does not, he says he has no responsibility. Surely the Chair should intervene to protect the House and see that Deputies are given information? I would make a special appeal to the Leas-Cheann Comhairle to reconsider this most sympathetically. Being a broad-minded and a fair-minded man, I am sure the Leas-Cheann Comhairle will be prepared to reconsider this matter.
The decision of the Leas-Cheann Comhairle is the same, in view of the fact that the Minister has no responsibility.
Surely the Leas-Cheann Comhairle agrees that the Minister has responsibility for policy? I shall address my questions to the Minister again next week and I shall await your decision.
We cannot have any discussion on the matter.