It is proposed to take business in the following order: Nos. 11 (resumed), 12 and 13. Private Members' Business will be taken from 7 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. (No. 40, by agreement).
Order of Business.
May I ask the Taoiseach whether he will give urgent and immediate consideration to the possibility of setting up an inquiry into the conditions of prisoners in Portlaoise in order to obviate the danger of death arising from the tragic hunger strike which is taking place at the moment?
No. It does not arise on the Order of Business.
I am taking the opportunity of asking the Taoiseach.
It is not proposed to set up an inquiry.
May I ask why a Special Notice Question of mine concerning the critical situation in Irish Steel Holdings Limited in Cork, where there have been as many as 180 redundancies last weekend and where there may be more redundancies again this weekend, was not allowed, in view of the urgency and the serious nature of the situation, first, on the unemployment front and, secondly, in regard to the interruption in the vital production of steel?
The Deputy has been informed why Private Notice treatment could not be allowed. I cannot elaborate further on the matter now.
I am afraid the Deputy cannot understand the reasons——
I am sorry. The Deputy may not raise the question now.
I fail to understand why you do not regard this as a matter of urgent——
The Deputy is not in order in raising this matter now.
——particularly in view of the fact that 180 people were laid off last Friday——
The Deputy has made his point.
——with the possibility of more this weekend, and that it is the only steel-producing company in Ireland.