I wish to announce for the information of the Dáil that I have today nominated the Minister for the Marine, Deputy John P. Wilson, to be Tánaiste.
Nomination of Tánaiste.
The announcement is for the information of the House and there cannot be debate or statements at this time. Nevertheless if the Members who have risen, the Leaders of the respective parties, will be very brief, I shall permit a contribution.
I fully undertake to be brief. I should like to congratulate the Minister for the Marine, Deputy Wilson, on his appointment as Tánaiste. The circumstances of that appointment are well enough known and my views are well enough known not to require further elaboration. I wish the Tánaiste well in the performance of his functions.
On behalf of the parliamentary Labour Party I would like to congratulate Deputy John Wilson and to wish him well in the office of Tánaiste. Deputy Wilson has served this House well over many years and I am sure he will be very successful in that office. Our best wishes go with him.
Would the Taoiseach indicate when he will be appointing a Minister for Defence?
I would prefer the Deputy to raise it at another time.
I want to make two points. One is to congratulate Deputy Wilson, the new Tánaiste, and to wish him well in his new responsibilities. I also want to raise the fact that I had three questions ruled out of order by you, a Cheann Comhairle, one specifically relating to the appointment of the Tánaiste and another relating to the appointment of a Minister for Defence, both of which are obligations on the Government under the Constitution. The appointment of a Minister for Defence requires the approval of this House before it is made. I find it extraordinary——
I gave the Deputy the privilege of commenting briefly on the matter.
If you let me finish then you can rule on the matter as you see fit. I find it extraordinary that questions of that kind are ruled out of order on the basis that the Taoiseach has no responsibility in the matter. Clearly he does. The third question related to statements made by the Taoiseach almost two weeks ago regarding events in January 1982. My question related specifically to the Taoiseach's involvement in that matter.
I have communicated with the Deputy and I have nothing further to add to my replies. He may not pursue the matter now. He knows that.
I am simply asking your courtesy to let me finish my point of order.
I have allowed the Deputy quite some latitude. He will now bring his remarks to a conclusion.
I am asking how it can be that three questions, one relating to the appointment of the Tánaiste, one relating to the appointment of a Minister for Defence and one relating to statements made by the Taoiseach in this House regarding his involvement in the events of 1982, have been ruled out of order on the basis that he has no responsibility in the matter to this House. How can that be? How can the rules of this House be extended in that way? The public outside this House will regard this as a conspiracy to cover up events.
As a constituency colleague of Deputy Wilson, I offer him my congratulations on his appointment to his new office and wish him every success. I suggest that in his new post he might use his influence to have the whole of Cavan and Monaghan included in the severely handicapped areas.