Before coming to the Order of Business I propose to deal with a notice of motion under Standing Order 30 from Deputy McDaid.
Request to Move Adjournment of Dáil under Standing Order 30.
This is not a knee-jerk reaction to the unfortunate happenings in Tokyo recently as I tabled a question for an oral reply to the Minister for the Marine some three weeks ago.
At this stage the Deputy may only advert to the notice he has conveyed to me.
I seek leave under Standing Order 30 to move the Adjournment of the Dáil to discuss a matter of grave importance, namely, the fact that the British Ministry of Defence has admitted for the first time that hundreds of thousands of tonnes of chemical weapons and poison gas were dumped off the Donegal coast. It has admitted that 3,500 tonnes of 23 pound artillery shells containing mustard gas, tabrun and sarin nerve gas were dumped in sealed containers — that is, one foot of concrete — over the side of British vessels about 30 miles off the Donegal coast. This is but the tip of the iceberg in terms of the information that is available to me.
Having considered the matter fully I do not consider it to be one contemplated by the Standing Order and, therefore, I cannot grant leave to move the motion.
Do we have to wait until they are blown up?
This matter has been ongoing for a considerable length of time. It will be dealt with by way of question tabled for an oral reply on 30 March.
This is new information.