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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 25 Oct 1990

Vol. 402 No. 2

Adjournment Debate. - Kerry National Primary Roads.

Deputy Dick Spring gave me notice of his intention to raise on the Adjournment the subject matter of the lack of finance for national primary roads in Kerry. Deputy Spring knows the procedure. The matter is in order.

I am grateful to you for affording me the opportunity of discussing the shortage of finance in relation to national primary roads in Kerry.

Before I get into that matter, however, I would like to seek your guidance in relation to a very serious matter that has happened since I spoke to you this morning. That is, in the last hour a press conference has been held in this city in which it has been revealed that the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence has basically been untruthful in relation to certain statements made by him; and worse, also the Taoiseach, the Minister for Justice and Minister for Communications, the Minister for the Environment and the Minister for Labour have seriously misled the Irish people both inside and outside this House.

Deputy Spring, I gave you permission to raise a particular matter on the Adjournment just now. The Deputy has adverted to extraneous matters with which I am not conversant. I must insist that he deal with the matter which I gave him permission to raise, national primary roads in Kerry.

I appreciate your guidelines and your instructions and I will try to be as orderly as possible, but I want to seek your guidance, Sir.

The Deputy gave me no notice of his intention to raise such a matter. I have no comment to make.

A Cheann Comhairle, given that we will not be sitting until next Wednesday, I am now asking you, Sir, to call an immediate meeting of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges because I believe what is happening is undermining this House, it is undermining the authority of the Government and undermining our democratic institutions.

The Deputy is availing of an opportunity which I gave him, to advert to another matter altogether. I gave the Deputy permission to raise a specific matter. He has now adverted to something else.

That was before the press conference.

I cannot accept that. If the Deputy will not advert to the matter under discussion here, primary roads in Kerry, I shall have to ask him to resume his seat.

A Cheann Comhairle, one of the basic tenets of public life is that we tell the truth.

Deputy Spring, you will have to raise that matter at another time.

This House is being demeaned.

Have you heard what has happened?

This is not the time.

(Interruptions.)

I suggest you check what happened lest you become a party to the travesty.

Deputy Spring, if you are not prepared to proceed along the lines I granted you permission for, please resume your seat.

This House will be grossly diminished by next Wednesday. I feel the Taoiseach and the senior Ministers should come back into this House today.

Deputy Spring is taking a very mean advantage of the Chair in raising a matter completely unrelated to that which I granted permission for. The Deputy will now resume his seat.

I am not. I am trying to protect this House.

Deputy Spring, resume your seat.

I will not resume my seat. I want to protect this House; I want to protect you and every Member of this House. The Taoiseach and his Cabinet should come into this House now before it is too late. Before it is too late let them come into this House. We are all being damaged.

The Taoiseach accused Deputy Garret FitzGerald of telling lies.

It will be too late by next Wednesday.

Since Deputy Spring has refused to deal with the matter for which I gave him permission I have no option but to adjourn the House until Wednesday next at 10.30 a.m.

The Dáil adjourned at 5.05 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday, 31 October 1990.

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