asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if, in view of the falling-off of milk supplies to the manufacturing creameries as a result of the depletion of the dairy herd in 1975, he will provide financial assistance to them until herd expansion resumes.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Manufacturing Creameries.
11.
Far from falling-off, the overall creamery milk intake, which reached a record level in 1975, has so far this year shown an increase of some 19 per cent over the corresponding period of 1975.
Having regard to the price increases decided on by the Council of Ministers last week and given suitable weather conditions, the intake during 1976 seems likely to set a new record.
May I ask if in view of that reply and the increases mentioned the Minister would not give a guarantee that he will see to it that there are no redundancies or job losses——
That is a separate question.
It is not, indeed, and the Minister knows it is not.
The Chair judges whether it is or not. Question No. 11 deals with the falling-off in milk supplies. I am calling No. 12.
Mr. Fitzgerald
In other words, you are like Pilate, washing your hands of the job losses in Golden Vale.
Will Deputy Fitzgerald resume his seat?
Yes, but under protest. The Minister is well aware of the situation at Golden Vale.
Is the Minister aware that there is a very big decrease in the number of units supplying milk?
I am simply showing that the people on the opposite benches do not know what they are talking about in regard to milk supplies.
I do not agree with you or him, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. There is enough bullying going on on that side of the House without the Chair, which is supposed to be neutral——
The Deputy will resume his seat.
I will not. We cannot have that attitude——
(Interruptions.)
The Deputy will resume his seat.
I am fed up with the protection of Ministers against this side of the House. We have a Labour Chair one time and a Fine Gael Chair another time.
Deputies
Chair.
The Deputy will resume his seat.
I will not.
If the Deputy will not resume his seat he will leave the House.
I will leave the House under protest. I protest against the Chair protecting Ministers in this House.
The Deputy will leave the House.
I will not. I refuse to leave. Let them vote me out.
On a point of order, in regard to the question and your ruling on it, the question is——
The Chair is not going to deal with a ruling on a question on which it has already decided.
I will come in with a question and you can rule me out of order and we will see——
The question is over and finished with.
What question?
Question No. 11.
Since when?
The Chair called the next question.
I was waiting to ask a supplementary question and I was not called.
The next question was called.
You might as well go and sit with them. We have had enough of that for the last two days.
(Interruptions.)
On a point of order, is it in order that Ministers at Question Time should repeatedly tell us that we do not know what we are talking about when we are seeking information? Should the Ministers not give the information and not comment on our mental capacity?
The Chair cannot deal with arguments in regard to questions.
If he allows it from one side he should allow it from the other side.
(Interruptions.)
Can the Chair explain to me, after some years in this House, why he has no influence at all over what is said on Government benches and every single sentence——
You have your finger on the button every time a man stands up here—like a brake.
Deputy Collins also wants to make charges evidently.
I want an explanation——
What does the Deputy want explained?
Why you have no control over what is said on the Government side and you exercise complete control over every utterance made on this side of the House?
The Chair has no control over the answers that are given.
——and you are misinterpreting the question.
If Deputy Collins again wants to make charges——
I want to ask a supplementary question and you are preventing me from asking it.
The Chair has already decided that we pass to the next question.
Have it, and we will explain to the people.
I was told that my question was out of order. I was asking about the biggest industry in the country and the Chair told me I was out of order——
The Deputy is changing his stance in what he is talking about at the moment.
On a point of order, I want to ask the Minister a supplementary question——
Question No. 11 has been dealt with.
That is extraordinary——
Supplementary questions were asked on it.
The Minister made a statement about increases in rates and I was going to ask him, because it was very relevant——
The Chair is not reopening the question.
It is a very relevant question. I think Deputy Collins was putting the same type of question and surely——
The Chair is not reopening the question at this stage.
(Interruptions.)
In other words, he will not be allowed to answer.
I want to give notice about the raising of the matter on the adjournment.
The Deputy will be communicated with.
He will protect the Minister.
Deputy Crinion is another who wants to make charges against the Chair. The Chair is constantly being charged in this House at present.
Is there a reason for it, do you think?
I certainly do not think so. There is a way in which Deputies may deal with it and I invite any Deputy——
You have referred to us as bullying——
(Interruptions.)
Tell me why the Chair last night sent a letter to the press which was sent privately to a Deputy here? Apart from politics you are a rotton crew, the whole lot of you on that side. The Government are telling you what to do. You are taking instructions from a little Fascist like Kelly.
The Deputy will withdraw that statement.
What is the statement?
The statement referring to the Parliamentary Secretary as a Fascist——
A Deputy
What is wrong with it?
It has been ruled out of order previously here.
(Interruptions.)
I will not withdraw it. I believe he is a Fascist.
This is the second time that the Deputy has done the same thing.
——and I told him privately. I notice that you did not ask me to withdraw the fact that the Chair sent a letter to the press which was sent privately to a Deputy in this House.
The Chair is not aware of that.
If the Chair wants to play politics we will play politics also.
The Chair does not, but the Chair informs the Deputy that twice today he has challenged the authority of the Chair and the Chair will draw that to the attention of the House on the first available occasion. I can assure you of that. The Chair will draw your conduct to the attention of the House on the first available occasion.
(Interruptions.)
They have not the guts to do things properly.
(Interruptions.)
I have the greatest respect for the Chair and I understand his difficulties but I will not sit here and allow the Parliamentary Secretary to the Taoiseach to use abusive language. I do not think he is entitled to do so.
Nobody in the House is entitled to use abusive language.
As this is not the first time that the Parliamentary Secretary has done this in a temper and as he has not the good manners to withdraw it, I think he should come under the animadversion of the Chair.
What about animadverting on the little man behind you?
(Interruptions.)
Would the Parliamentary Secretary please allow Questions to proceed. Question No. 12.
(Interruptions.)
It is a pity that the House will not have some respect for itself in regard to these matters.
What about the Parliamentary Secretary?
Everybody in the House ought to have regard for the good name of the House.
Exactly——
(Interruptions.)
Everybody in the House. That includes the Chair as well as everybody else, as Deputy Collins remarked. The Chair does its best in this matter. If Deputy Collins has any complaint about the Chair he knows——
Can I get back to my supplementary question?
——he can put down a motion of censure on the Chair. The Deputy is aware of that.
Yes, and I will get a good hearing. I want a hearing now on my supplementary question.
Question No. 12.
On a point of information——
Not on information. The Chair only deals with order.
On a point of order then.
What is the point of order?
May I ask for clarification from the Chair as to exactly what the matter is he intends to bring to the notice of the House?
The Chair indicated that on two occasions. Deputy Noel Davern disobeyed the Chair and used language which the Chair regarded as being intemperate. Question No. 12.
In order that the House may fully understand what you are referring to will the Chair explain to the House what language was used?
Deputies in the House who were listening will have heard what it was. Question No. 12.
We heard a lot of things said.
(Interruptions.)
The Chair is proceeding with questions.
On a point of order——
What is the point of order?
In this House a while ago I was called a rotten little bully by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Taoiseach, Deputy John Kelly, who should be upholding decorum in the House. Have I any redress for being called a rotten little bully by him? May I appeal to you to have the same, equal treatment meted to me and my colleagues by putting in a petition——
The Chair has treated equally everybody who had a case during these interventions.
Could I say something to you called "bodhaire Uí Laoghaire"?
Again the Deputy decides further to deal with the matter at this stage.
(Interruptions.)
I fully accept what you said. In that light can I expect that you will also bring what the Parliamentary Secretary said—he termed me a rotten little bully—to the notice of the same committee? Will that be done too?
The Chair is dealing with what it heard. Question No. 12.
(Interruptions.)
He has no responsibility for any utterances on that side.
(Interruptions.)
On a point of order, am I not entitled——
Will the Deputy allow questions to proceed?
Deputy Lynch must have gone to a long lunch. They always get out of control when he is not here.
I take exception to that kind of silly innuendo from a man whom I know to be a gentleman. The Deputies on this side of the House are fed up with it.
The Chair is trying to get on with the business of the House. The Chair did not hear it.
(Interruptions.)