asked the Taoiseach when it is proposed to introduce the National Archives Bill.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - National Archives Bill.
5.
The National Archives Bill is at an advanced stage of preparation and I hope to introduce it in this Dáil session.
On a point of information, has it not been the practice that where two Deputies put down similar questions on the Order Paper they are taken together? When a question is in the remit of a certain Minister, is it transferred to that Minister for answering? Why is a similar question to No. 6, which I have had down, placed under questions to the Minister for Finance? This question is down for reply by the Taoiseach who normally passes on this type of question to the Minister for Finance?
The Chair has no control over whether questions are answered separately or together and, as the Deputy probably knows, the formula —"with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle"— has been dropped. I am not familiar with the other matter raised by Deputy Molloy but I will look into it and communicate with him if he so wishes.
If it is not a matter for the Chair, who makes the decision to place questions on similar matters under the same heading to be taken together?
The Deputy misunderstood me. I said that the Chair has no control over whether questions will be answered separately or together. Neither has the Chair any control over the transfer of a question from one Minister to another.
As the Chair is aware, Question No. 6 is similar to Question No. 183 in my name.
I will look into the matter and communicate with the Deputy.
Will the National Archives Bill have any relation to the general Heritage Bill and will the Minister consider adding some provisions to it to save some of our national heritage which is leaving the country?
The saving of our heritage is a matter of great concern but it is not appropriate to this Bill. The whole matter of heritage is under consideration by me and the Department of the Taoiseach and we hope to bring forward some ideas on that in the not too distant future. I do not think it would be appropriate to the National Archives Bill which we want to get through as quickly as possible.
Is the Minister satisfied that we are not losing time, as Mr. Homan Potterton said recently in a very trenchant speech, with regard to our art treasures?
That seems to be another area and involves the exporting of treasures from this country. In that respect we have gone a long way in preparing legislation with a view to introducing a six months' stay on the export of objets d'art. There are constitutional considerations, some of which are tied in with cases before the courts, particularly the Derrynaflan Chalice case. There are constitutional difficulties but we have done a lot of the work at this stage.