It is proposed to take business in the following order: Nos. 1, 4, 9, 10 and 11 (resumed) and to take Private Members' Business from 7 p.m. to 8.30 p.m.—No. 23, by agreement.
Order of Business.
Perhaps the Chair would allow me 30 seconds to ask a question. I appreciate entirely that your rulings on matters of questions cannot be challenged in the House and it is not my intention to challenge those rulings. However, regarding the question I put down to the Taoiseach asking him what figure the Government, as a collective authority, accepted as the correct figure for economic growth achieved in 1978 and which I tabled in view of the substantial discrepancy between the figure issued by the Department of Economic Planning and Development and the figure issued by the Central Bank——
The Deputy may not raise the matter in this fashion.
I am not challenging your ruling.
But the Deputy is doing that by asking a question that was refused.
Perhaps your reply—to the effect that you were disallowing the question because it contained argument—would form the subject of one of your short explanations to the House in regard to your rulings. I should like such an explanation for future reference because I have had this experience with you on several occasions. I cannot find any argument in my question to the Taoiseach.
The Deputy might discuss the matter outside the House.
Perhaps you would avail of an appropriate occasion to explain to the House, in the way I have seen you explain in other contexts what you mean conventionally when you rule a question out of order on the grounds that it contains argument.
The Deputy is well aware of what is laid down in Standing Orders and of what has been the practice in this House. The Chair does not consider itself called on to give explanations in respect of what has been a long-standing practice.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to raise on the Adjournment the question of the critical unemployment situation in County Donegal.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.