asked the Minister for Education the allocation made from the sum voted in the budget for the propagation of sport.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Propagation of Sport.
72.
A sum of £125,000 is being provided in the current financial year for this purpose. Only small amounts have been allocated up to the present. As in previous years the main allocations will be made during the months of February and March next year.
On a point of order. In view of the fact that the Minister for Education has been waiting here for three successive days to answer his questions and that they were postponed today without notice to him, have you power to direct that the replies be circulated with the Official Report?
I am sorry. I have no such power. I would prefer Deputies to give notice in time that their questions were not being asked.
Would the Ceann Comhairle be assured that there is very good reason why the Labour Party Deputies cannot be here and why they asked to have their questions postponed? I do not see why Fianna Fáil Deputies who are not here should be allowed to give their constituents the impression that they are here when they are, in fact, at home doing their own work.
That has nothing to do with it. It is a matter of the abuse, or otherwise, of the right to ask Parliamentary Questions here. As I said earlier, the Minister for Education was present here on Tuesday and Wednesday and again today and the first notification he had——
I understood it was part of his job to be here.
I am talking about a matter of courtesy and procedure in this House. If you say, a Cheann Comhairle, that you cannot so direct I am prepared to accept that.
I can ask Deputies to give ample notice, if that is possible. Sometimes it is not possible.