I should like to refer to a Parliamentary Question I tabled last week on the failure of the B & I boat Innisfallen to sail from Cork on 13th May to the great inconvenience of many hundreds of intending passengers. You, Sir, ruled the question out of order, I was informed by your letter of yesterday, because you said the Minister had no official responsibility in relation to this matter. There are two questions on the Order Paper addressed to the Minister for Transport and Power; one relates to the ESB and one relates to Aer Rianta both State sponsored bodies in the same category as the B & I. Could you distinguish between the reasons why you allowed these two questions but disallowed my question?
Business of Dáil.
The Deputy gave me no notice of his intention to raise this matter and I cannot be expected to give an answer now off the top of my head. I informed the Deputy of the normal ruling in the circumstances and I cannot add anything at this stage.
I am just referring to the fact that there are two questions pertaining to other State sponsored bodies allowed which the Minister is, apparently, expected to answer and for which he has apparently accepted responsibility. May I say—I know you have a problem— that part of my question was a simple question of fact as to whether or not the Minister had asked for an explanation. Surely the Minister has the responsibility of accounting for his actions in this respect to the House by answering that simple question.
My information is that the Minister has no official responsibility in the matter. That is the position the Chair is in.
I remember when the late Deputy Childers as Minister for Transport and Power was pilloried by the Opposition when these questions were not answered.
He refused point blank to answer them and thereby set the precedent.