Before coming to the Order of Business proper I have a number of motions under Standing Order 30 to deal with. I propose to deal with these motions — under Standing Order 30 — which I have received from Deputies Mac Giolla and Gilmore together with one from Deputy Jim Higgins on related topics. I now call on the Deputies to state the matter of which notice has been given to me in the order in which they submitted these notices to my office. I call first either on Deputy Mac Giolla or Deputy Gilmore.
Request to Move Adjournment of Dáil Under Standing Order 30.
In accordance with Standing Order 30 I wish to advise you that at the commencement of public business today, Tuesday, 10 December 1991, I intend to request leave to move the Adjournment of the Dáil to discuss the following specific and important matter of public interest, namely, the following:
The evidence given at the hearing of the Committee of Public Accounts on Thursday last that the proposal to initiate the purchase by University College, Dublin of Carysfort College came from the former Minister for Education and that the Taoiseach was directly involved in the discussions; the newspaper reports at the weekend that the Taoiseach had a number of hitherto undisclosed meetings with the Chairman of the Smurfit Business School at which certain undertakings were reported to have been given about the availability of the public funds for the running costs of the school; and the need for the Taoiseach and the former Minister for Education now to give full and unequivocal accounts of their involvement in the Carysfort deal to the Dáil.
In view of the extreme urgency of the matter I hope you will agree to my request.
I now call on Deputy Jim Higgins.
I, too, wish to seek the Adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 30 to discuss the purchase, with State funds, of Carysfort College for the Smurfit Business School and the conflicting statements on the matter by the Taoiseach, the former Minister for Education, Deputy O'Rourke, and the President of University College, Dublin under the following headings:
(i) the denial by the Taoiseach of his involvement in the Carysfort College sale to this House on the confidence motion in the Government on 16 October last when he clearly told the House that the transaction was carried out in a perfectly straightforward manner and was not——
Deputy, this is not the question you conveyed to my office. I must ask you to put the question you submitted to my office.
It is the press release.
I wish to put my request for the Adjournment of the House under Standing Order 30 in accordance with the question submitted to your office which is:
That the House adjourn under Standing Order 30 to discuss the purchase, with State funds, of Carysfort College for the Smurfit Graduate Business School and the clearly conflicting statements on this matter by the Taoiseach, the former Minister for Education, Mrs. O'Rourke, and the President of University College, Dublin.
Having considered the matters fully I do not consider them to be contemplated under Standing Order 30.
These are only State funds.
What is another million?
Therefore I cannot grant leave to move the motions.
I have to advise the House that the matter raised is not one that is likely to develop significantly before the Dáil, in practice, would have an opportunity of discussing it. There is a parliamentary question tabled to the Taoiseach on this matter on the Order Paper for answer tomorrow.
A Cheann Comhairle, may I have your assurance that this question to the Taoiseach will not be transferred tomorrow?
I have no control over the transfer of questions, Deputy. I am calling the Order of Business, the Tánaiste.
On a point of order——
Will the Deputy please allow the Tánaiste to proceed with the Order of Business?
A Cheann Comhairle, on a point of order——
Not now, Deputy.
A Cheann Comhairle, I will be returning to that point when the Tánaiste is finished.