Before coming to the Order of Business, I propose to deal with a notice of motion under Standing Order 30 from Deputy Jim O'Keeffe. I now call on Deputy O'Keeffe to state the matter of which he has given notice to me.
Request to Move Adjournment of Dáil Under Standing Order 30.
In accordance with Standing Order 30 I request leave to move the Adjournment of the Dáil to discuss a specific and important matter of public interest requiring urgent consideration as follows: the need for the Government to respond with disaster relief aid for the stricken people of Bangladesh, where tens of thousands are now dead and countless numbers are hungry and homeless as a result of a typhoon this week; the inadequacy of the funding provisions for Overseas Aid and Development which led to a mere £350,000 being made available by the Government for the Kurds and which restricts the ability of the Government to respond to the disaster in Bangladesh and to the crisis of catastrophic proportions which is developing in Africa where 27 million people are now at risk of starvation; and the urgent need for a Supplementary Estimate for Overseas Aid and Development.
Having considered the matter fully, I do not consider it one to be contemplated by Standing Order 30 and, therefore, I cannot grant leave to move the motion.
Obviously the typhoon was not strong enough.
Perhaps the Taoiseach would provide time for a debate on this urgent matter since your hands, a Cheann Comhairle, appear to be tied by Standing Orders. I should not like the Taoiseach to be known as "Heartless Haughey" when tens of thousands of people are dying——
Order. I am not obliged to give reasons for my rulings in such matters but I feel I should say that the matter raised has not arisen suddenly. In fact, the said incident took place on Monday last. The Deputy had ample means open to him to have the matter raised by way of ordinary notice on the Adjournment. In addition, the question of the supplementary estimate, raised by the Deputy would require to be passed by the Dáil by way of separate motion and that clearly dilutes still further the urgency aspect of the matter.
As you will appreciate, it is only now that the full extent of the awful disaster in Bangladesh is becoming apparent. This House should be in a position to respond to this problem.
Riar na hOibre.
On a point of order, a Cheann Comhairle, you said this typhoon occurred on Monday and that the Deputy was tardy in putting down a question about it. I put down a Private Notice Question yesterday, the first day after this major catastrophe, and it was disallowed. Therefore, I submit——
Order, Deputy. May I respectfully submit to the Deputy and the House that no request was made to have the matter raised on the Adjournment?
I put down a Private Notice Question, which is the way to raise urgent matters.
Riar na hOibre.