I put down a Private Notice Question in relation to the escape of two prisoners from Mountjoy Prison and you ruled it out of order, Sir.
Business of Dáil.
Is the Deputy once again challenging the ruling of the Chair?
I do not wish to be contentious about this. I rise on a point of information. The point of information I seek is the reasoning for your not allowing the question.
There is no obligation on the Chair to give such explanations. The Deputy must know that. My office communicated with the Deputy. He may not raise the matter in this fashion. He knows it is disorderly to do so and yet he persists in showing a flagrant disregard for the authority of the Chair.
One of the reasons you gave for not allowing the question——
The Deputy may not challenge my ruling at all.
I am not challenging your ruling.
What is the Deputy doing?
I am just asking——
The Deputy may not challenge the ruling of the Chair in this fashion.
At least give him a chance.
Respect for the law and order of the House.
The Deputy may not challenge my ruling.
He got a few lines for it last week.
He should respect the law and order of the House.
The Minister should respect law and order.
All I rose to say——
Deputy Andrews may not continue along those lines.
I will not——
You are deliberately challenging my ruling and have demanded an explanation. The Chair does not give such.
I am not demanding an explanation. I am looking for information. One of the reasons you gave for not allowing the question was that the incident is now over——
The Deputy is continuing on a point I have disallowed.
I am just asking you for information.
The Chair has already said it will give no explanation, that it need not give an explanation on this matter. My office has communicated with the Deputy. The Deputy has been given a way out. He may raise this matter in the ordinary way, by way of a question. If it is in order, it can be dealt with tomorrow. He is not permitted to raise it now.
I very much appreciate the Chair's courtesy——
The Deputy has obviously gained his point in raising, in defiance of the Chair, a matter which had been ruled out of order. The Chair is very well aware of what is happening.