Before coming to the Order of Business I propose to deal with a number of related notices under Standing Order 31 from Deputies McDowell and Noonan. I propose to call on the Deputies in the order in which they submitted their notices to my office. I call first on Deputy McDowell to state the matter of which he has given notice to me.
Request to move Adjournment of Dáil under Standing Order 31.
I request the Adjournment of the House to ask the Minister for Finance to make a statement on recent allegations in respect of apparently improper financial transactions involving National Irish Bank plc and to further ask the Minister if he will take the appropriate legislative and other action to ensure the Central Bank and the Revenue Commissioners are empowered to deal with such matters in future.
In accordance with Standing Order 31 I seek that Dáil Éireann suspend this sitting to facilitate an emergency debate on the possible involvement of National Irish Bank in the active promotion of tax evasion schemes by the use of offshore accounts and the need to establish whether the Revenue Commissioners have the legal capacity to fully investigate these accounts. I note, a Cheann Comhairle, you have kindly allowed me to raise this matter on the Adjournment and I do not intend pressing it under the Standing Order.
Having considered the matters fully I do not consider them to be contemplated by Standing Order 31 and, therefore, I cannot grant leave to move the motions.
I submitted a Private Notice Question on this issue and I am surprised you did not see fit——
We cannot discuss the matter. I have allowed a discussion on it on the Adjournment of the House.