It is proposed to take business in the following order: Nos. 8, 6, 9 (resumed). Private Members' Business will be taken between 7 p.m. and 7.30 p.m., No. 71 by agreement.
Order of Business.
On the Order of Business, I would like to raise with the Taoiseach the question of making Government time available for a debate on the O Briain Report. On two former occasions, 1 October 1978 and 29 November 1978, I raised this with the Taoiseach and on both occasions I was told that the matter was under consideration. I suggest that the matter is now of even greater urgency because of the publication of the Bennett Report and even more so because of the apparent incompatibility between the statement of the Minister for Justice——
The Deputy need not make a speech on this matter. He has other means of finding this out other than raising it now.
May I make a statement?
The Chair may not allow the Deputy to read out a long statement on the Order of Business.
May I speak for a second? I said that there is even greater urgency because of the apparent incompatibility between the statement of the Minister for Justice to this House on 2 May last and the remarks of Judge O Briain last Sunday. Could I ask——
It is not in order to have a statement.
If the Deputy wants to call into question a statement by the Minister as against statements made on radio by an interviewee, no matter who, then the Deputy will get the real situation in a matter of hours.
Surely to be an interviewee is something special for an ex-judge if the Government order an inquiry.
That is exactly what the ex-judge was, an interviewee on a programme. If the Deputy takes offence at an innocent, accurate statement, God knows what he is going to take offence at next. Regarding the request by Deputy O'Keeffe, it is not proposed to hold a debate at present. There is not time on the Government agenda.
With reference to what I felt was apparent incompatibility, I felt that a debate was necessary to clear these points. Could the Taoiseach give any indication when he will make Government time available?
I am calling the next business. I cannot permit this continuing practice.
It is difficult for us. Sir, not to be obeying your ruling, but speakers on the other side of the House get what they want to say on record and that imposes a strain and a certain disadvantage on people on this side of the House.
The Chair does not know the content of the statement until it is made.
It is made and on record.
(Cavan-Monaghan): The Taoiseach does not like being blacked out.
We cannot use the Order of Business for raising matters which Deputies must know are not in order.
Is the Taoiseach making a statement?
It has nothing to do with the Order of Business but Deputy O'Keeffe has got the answer to it.
I am calling the next business. The Minister is ready to move the next business.
In the Twentieth Dáil the Order of Business was a free-for-all, and the free-for-all was led by the present Taoiseach. Nothing was too trivial to raise on the Order of Business. It is a different story now.
On the Order of Business, has the Taoiseach given any consideration to our request yesterday for the provision of Government time to debate the Post Office dispute?
We are going on with the business of the day. The Minister is ready to move for leave to introduce an Estimate.
That is the usual Order of Business.
Deputy O'Donnell has raised a question. The Chair is guilty of cheap tactics.
Deputy O'Donnell raised a question after I started the business of the day. I have had enough of the Deputy's insinuations to the Chair.
Is it in order for a Deputy to accuse the Chair of cheap tactics?
If the Deputy does not withdraw that statement, I will ask for his suspension.
I withdraw the statement.
Unequivocally?
Unequivocally.
And unqualified?
Unqualified.
Thank you.
Did Deputy O'Donnell not ask a question on the Order of Business and is he not entitled to a reply?
Deputy O'Donnell is usually very well behaved in this House, but he raised a question after I began the next business.
I was seeking your attention, Sir, so that I could ask the Taoiseach a simple, straight-forward question.
The Deputy is not in order in asking such a question and he knows that.
If he were in order, I would answer him.
The Taoiseach wants to answer.