I wish to move the Adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 30 to discuss the need for the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications to explain his breach of ministerial accountability under the Ministers and Secretaries Act, 1924, on a matter for which he has full responsibility and his failure to supply that full information to the Dáil on Wednesday, 26 October 1994.
Request to Move Adjournment of Dáil under Standing Order 30.
Having considered the matter fully I do not consider it to be one contemplated by the Standing Order.
I seek the guidance of the Chair——
Please allow the Chair to comment without interruption. Having considered the matter fully I do not consider it to be one contemplated by the Standing Order. Therefore, I cannot grant leave to move the motion. This matter cannot be said to have the urgency required by the Standing Order.
This matter was so urgent that they wheeled out civil servants at a press conference.
I have given my ruling.
I ask for the Chair's guidance on the appropriate mechanism through which I could raise this matter in view of the misleading information given in the House yesterday.
There are a number of ways to raise the matter which are open to the Deputy. I suggest that if it is the intention to make serious charges against any Member of the House, including the Minister referred to, the appropriate way to do so is by substantive motion. I should also add, as the House knows full well, quite a lot of the time of the House was devoted to this subject. At Question Time yesterday 50 minutes were given to it and approximately 30 minutes the day before.
The House was misled.
The issue now is the information the House was given.
The Minister misled the House.
That is a scandalous allegation.
It is a fact.
It is not a fact.
I said that if serious charges are to be made against any Member of the House there is a strict procedure for so doing.
It is also important to draw the attention of the Chair and the House to continuing insinuations and slurs on the integrity and professionalism of public servants. The gracious thing would be for Deputy Hogan and Fine Gael to withdraw those insinuations. The truth is out and they should accept it. That is the reality.
When the Taoiseach is giving the Order of Business how can it be in order to make a speech like this? The Chair does not allow this side of the House——
I have ruled on the matter.
How can the Chair allow the Taoiseach to breach the rules? Is he protecting him in some way?
My ruling should be accepted by both sides of the House.
Would the Chair please enforce his ruling on both sides of the House?
I hope Members opposite will reflect on what I said and do the decent thing.
The Taoiseach had it written down; he did not say it off the cuff.