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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 26 Jan 1984

Vol. 347 No. 5

Business of Dáil.

I submitted a Private Notice Question to you, a Cheann Comhairle, in the following terms: To ask the Minister for Finance what steps he proposes to take to restore the situation in the Stock Market after this morning's massive run on Government bonds following yesterday's budget announcement; and why this reaction by the market to his proposals was not anticipated by him.

I have disallowed that question for the following reasons.

I do not believe it.

Please give me a moment. My attention was drawn to that some time after I entered the Chair for Question Time. I am told it was received in the office later than the prescribed time. Later still, when I was in the midst of Question Time, I was advised by my advisers that the question was too late to process. I was advised it was not in order and I disallowed it.

Frankly I find this incredible. My position in this matter is that I and my colleagues thought it was of sufficient and urgent importance to raise it during the course of the budget debate. The Leas-Cheann Comhairle was in the Chair. My colleague, Deputy Desmond, Minister for Health and Social Welfare, was occupying the Government front bench. It seemed to me that there was an understanding — and I think the suggestion was made by the Minister for Health and Social Welfare — that I should raise the matter at 3.30 p.m. I took it from that, that the Government were prepared to respond on a matter of urgent public importance. It cannot be denied, Sir, that it is a matter of very real urgent public importance.

I certainly dispatched the question in time. I regret it if it was not received within a few minutes of the time limit. The Minister has a very solemn Ministerial responsibility to deal with this matter here and now.

I would ask Deputy Haughey to bear with me again and I would ask the House to keep cool about this. There is no mystery about it. I entered the Chair for Question Time dead on 2.30 p.m. or shortly before that. Some time after that, my attention was drawn to the fact that a Private Notice Question was in from Deputy Haughey. I understood it was being looked at. Of course I had no opportunity to deal with it because I was dealing with questions. Within the past 20 minutes I was given unanimous advice that the question was not received in time to be processed. I was advised that it was not in order. I was here in the Chair trying to deal with questions and, in accordance with that advice, I disallowed the question. It is not a question of the Government. It is a question of my being advised that there was not an opportunity to process the question and that it was not in order. I disallowed it and that is that.

I can only repeat my astonishment. First of all your Deputy, the Leas-Cheann Comhairle, was in the Chair. The understanding of myself and my colleagues was that he was concurring in my raising this matter and getting a reply at 3.30 p.m. He certainly gave that impression. I think he concurred with the Minister for Health and Social Welfare that that was the proper procedure to follow. In those circumstances I did not think there could be any question of technicalities introduced to prevent my raising this fundamentally important and urgent matter. Sir, I ask you: are you ruling that you are disallowing the question on its merits or because of some time factor?

I understand that there was no question of a formal Private Notice Question being handed in until it was handed in some time after 2.30 p.m. I am disallowing the question simply and solely on the grounds that I was in the Chair at all times as far as I am concerned relevant to the processing of this question. I could not personally process it. I got a unanimous opinion from my advisers that the question was not in order and I disallowed it.

On its merits or on a question of time?

On time, on notice.

This is making a farce of this House. In so far as the Government could do so, they indicated to us that they would answer the question at 3.30 p.m. Your Deputy, the Leas-Cheann Comhairle, concurred with that procedure. The question is clearly in order in accordance with Standing Orders. Now you are proposing to disallow it.

I want to suggest——

No, but I——

Will you let me continue?

We are reasonably reasonable people in this House.

Some of us.

There is a crisis on the Stock Exchange.

The Minister would probably like to avail of this opportunity to say something about it. He is present here. I feel it is straining things a bit too far to permit a technicality about timing to prevent this matter being dealt with in this House. We are talking about making the House relevant, about reforming our procedures. Here is a clear case of urgent public interest and importance. The Minister is here. I feel sure he wants to answer. In my view you, Sir, are totally misdirecting yourself in preventing the matter being dealt with now in some shape or form.

That item was on the 1.30 news and Fianna Fáil——

That makes the point.

Deputy Lenihan will leave this to the Chair. I want to explain this once more in a calm and cool way. At all times relevant to this question I was in the Chair dealing with questions. It was not an easy Question Time and we had succeeded in getting through 16 questions in an hour. Shortly after I came into the Chair I was told that this question was in. I assumed it was being looked at. Within the last half hour I was advised unanimously by my staff that the question was not in order. What could I do but accept the advice I got?

(Interruptions.)

I had no opportunity of coming to a decision myself. I took the advice I got and I emphasise that the Government have no hand, act, or part in this. If the Government want to deal with this matter in some way other than by reply to a Private Notice Question, that is a matter entirely for the Government.

It is not entirely a matter for the Government. I accept that you personally were occupied otherwise and were not aware of this but your deputy was and we must look to him as representing you. He certainly concurred in its being raised at 3.30. Perhaps in those circumstances we could have a bit of informality and let the Minister make some statement.

As far as the reference to my deputy is concerned, my advice is that there was no question of its being treated as a Private Notice Question at that time, that no question of that arose until it was handed in to the General Office later.

Whoever is advising you on this matter is slightly misinterpreting the position. I want to give full credit to the Minister for Health. He was aware of the importance of the matter and quite informally suggested that it be raised at 3.30 p.m. To my mind — and, I believe, to the mind of your deputy — that presupposed a Private Notice Question. We will not lose our tempers over it. It is a crisis situation. The Minister for Finance is here and perhaps we could have a statement from him through some informal arrangement.

I would like it made perfectly clear that there is no reflection on the Chair's handling of this matter.

Not at all.

That is acceptable. It is a matter for the House after that.

I will give five minutes of my time to my colleague.

The Minister for Finance has not as yet intervened in the general debate. I do not know whether it is his intention to intervene. Is it agreed that this short intervention will not be taken as an intervention in the debate and will not prevent him from speaking later, if he so desires?

It is so agreed.

The Deputy's Leader is well able to look after himself. I am sure he does not want any assistance from you.

It is agreed.

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