It is proposed to take business in the following order: Nos. 3 and 6; Votes 26 and 26 (Supplementary).
Order of Business.
With reference to the Order of Business, on the Order Paper there are three items current which have been discussed by the Dáil or are in course of discussion. I refer in particular to the Estimates for Agriculture and Education and the Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill. Can the Taoiseach give us any indication why there is so much switching of items for discussion?
The Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries is at a meeting of the Common Market Ministers in Brussels.
The Minister for Education is present.
The intention today, which was notified to the Opposition well in advance, is to take Local Government.
I admit it is the Government's function to order business. I entirely accept that the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries is absent—I know this from Press reports—but there seems to me no reason why the debate on the Department of Education should not be resumed—as the Minister is present. Neither do I see any reason why the debate on the Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill should not be resumed because that Minister is also present and, in fact, is about to introduce his Estimate. Is not the whole purpose to relieve the attendance of Government Deputies to partake in the campaign in Monaghan?
We know the Opposition Deputies are in Monaghan. They are not here even to ask their own questions.
The Ministers are not here to answer the questions put to them.
We always did our business in the House.
The Minister for Local Government said the Minister for Finance was in Monaghan.
I said an ex-Minister was not allowed into Monaghan.
I am calling on the Minister for Local Government to move the motion for his Estimate.
Is Deputy Ahern in Monaghan with the bags of guns?
Where is Deputy Thornley?
(Interruptions.)
What about the dissidents with the bags of money and the bags of guns?
I wish to know why the Estimate for the Department of Education is not being finished today?
As Deputy Lynch pointed out, the Government orders business.
I want to know why the Estimate for the Department of Education is not being finished today.
We have had that already.
The Taoiseach is running out of the House; he is running away without answering the question.
That is not so. I do not know why Deputy O'Malley is kept out of Monaghan.
I still want to know why the Estimate for Education is not being finished today.
Because the Minister was already engaged——
He is in the House now.
He is listening to the Deputy.
That is no answer.
Let us proceed with the business of the House. I am calling on the Minister for Local Government to move his Estimate.