With the permission of the Chair, I should like to raise the following matter. On Wednesday last, 8th November, you called the Captain of the Guard to remove Deputy Enright. I claim that was not in accordance with Standing Orders. You should have first asked that the Deputy be named by a member of the Government, which you did not do. I should like to know if this was not a departure from Standing Orders?
Business of Dáil.
The position was that the Chair said: "I will have to call on the Captain of the Guard to remove the disorderly Deputy from the House." Later on Deputy Enright said: "I am not disorderly but I am leaving the House of my own accord."
We had better get this quite correct. Is it not true that the Captain of the Guard approached the Deputy at that time despite the fact that he had not been named by a member of the Government? I claim the Chair was wrong to call on the Captain of the Guard to approach the Deputy when he had not been named by a member of the Government.
The Captain of the Guard did not interfere with the Deputy. He did not find any reason to forcibly take him out of the House.
(Cavan): Is it not a fact that the Chair at that stage wrongly threatened the Captain of the Guard on the Deputy although he had not invoked Standing Orders to seek authority to instruct the Captain of the Guard to remove the Deputy?
The Deputy should have been named first.
Is the Deputy anxious that I should have named him?
No, Sir. I am anxious that the Chair would act in accordance with Standing Orders. Nobody knows more about being put out of the House than I do—I know all the rules and regulations about it.
I have no desire to be disorderly or to be asked to leave the House but I would emphasise on the Chair the extreme urgency of the Atkins Report on the textile industry. Perhaps the Chair could make some arrangement whereby these parliamentary questions will be answered tomorrow.
(Cavan): The Deputy should be careful. Deputy Enright was put out of the House in connection with this matter.
I am in order. I respect the Chair and parliamentary procedure but Parliament is entitled to replies to these questions.
The Chair will do its utmost to expedite questions but a great deal remains with the Deputies themselves.
Can the Minister for Foreign Affairs state if the Government will give time for a debate on the Green Paper?
I think the Taoiseach answered a question on this matter recently.
He said he was considering the matter but I should like to know if he has given further consideration to it?
He did not tell me if he had made any further progress on the matter.
Will the Minister ask him about it?
Yes.