I propose to deal with a number of notices under Standing Order 30 from Deputies Keogh and Martin and to call the Deputies in the order in which they submitted their notices to my office.
Requests to move Adjournment of Dáil under Standing Order 30.
Under Standing Order 30 I wish to move the adjournment of the Dáil to discuss a matter of urgent public concern, the further revelations concerning the inaccuracies, oversights and misplacements which took place in the marking of the 1995 leaving certificate examination in art and design, the worry this has caused students and their families and the response to date of the Department of Education to the problem.
Under Standing Order 30 I wish to move the adjournment of the Dáil to consider the need for a special question and answer session with the Minister for Education in the light of new revelations concerning the operation of the 1995 leaving certificate art examination involving the discovery of two more cases, one in the last fornight which reveals that a student in Castlecomer Community School was not given any credit for design work. I also wish to raise the refusal of the Minister to date to be fully accountable to Dáil Éireann for the operation of her Department and the complete lack of transparency on her part in relation to this episode given that she knew about it on 12 December——
I may only hear details about the matter of which the Deputy submitted notice to the Ceann Comhairle's office.
——and refused to issue a public statement about it until 2 February.
Having considered the matters fully, I do not consider they are contemplated under Standing Order 30 and, therefore, leave cannot be given to move the motions.
On a point of order, I have made three attempts to table Private Notice Questions on this issue during the past three weeks, but they have been disallowed. Last week when priority questions were taken by the Minister for Education we asked her specific questions to which she had the answers, but she refused point-blank to answer them in this House. Subsequently, I tabled questions on similar issues and I received some of the requested information in a written reply.
The Deputy will have been advised by the Ceann Comhairle's office of the position.
The Minister for Education is deliberately avoiding coming into this House to answer questions.
We cannot engage in discussion on this matter now. If the Deputy wants further elaboration officials in the Ceann Comhairle's office will provide it. I must proceed to the Order of Business.
I do not blame the Ceann Comhairle's office.
Deputy Martin, please desist.
The Minister for Education knew about this error on 12 December but she did not make a public statement about it until 2 February.
This matter has been selected for debate on the Adjournment and, perhaps, some method can be found to hear the Deputy then.