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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 23 May 2001

Vol. 536 No. 6

Business of Dáil.

I ask you, Sir, wishing to be orderly, if you will arrange for the next meeting of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges to have on its agenda the question of the arbitrary closing down of leaders' questions in the event of Members' legitimate questions not being taken by the Chair? We do not wish to be in conflict with you, Sir, but we do not understand your ruling and we do not understand the arbitrary time frame within which you exercise your prerogative as Chair. We would like clarification of that at the appropriate venue, which we believe to be the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.

It was not ever the norm for the Chair to quote Standing Orders. However, in this instance I do so because there seems to be a misunderstanding among Members. Standing Order 26(3) is quite clear. It states ". . . the Ceann Comhairle may permit, at his or her discretion, questions . . .". The Ceann Comhairle has complete discretion in the number of questions allowed, who to call and over the duration of the Order of Business.

I gave Members, including Deputy Rabbitte, an opportunity to raise matters, which Deputy Rabbitte did early in the proceedings. A number of questions raised in the latter part were not in order.

I appreciate that you are acting in accordance with your correct interpretation of the Standing Order as it stands. There is an enormous backlog of legislation. The Government is now in its fourth year and there is more legislation waiting for consideration than one might have expected at the start of a Dáil session. There is an enormous array of additional questions which have legitimate cause to be answered through Standing Orders and on the Order of Business. In view of this, I formally and respectfully ask you to table Standing Order 21, which you have cited, for review and discussion by the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, to enable us to be in order and to enable you to do the job to which you have been elected.

The Chair must apply Standing Orders as they are. The Chair has no option but to do that.

I accept that.

If Members wish to change Standing Orders they must take the initiative.

That is what I am asking for.

Through their representatives on the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, Members should take the initiative for a change in Standing Orders.

I give notice that my Party will put a formal request in writing to your committee, the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, to review that Standing Order with a view to bringing in changes to facilitate Members' rights.

I make it quite clear that Members' rights are fully provided for, as far as my interpretation of Standing Orders is concerned.

Not necessarily.

We do not accept that.

I propose, with respect Sir, that your interpretation of the Standing Order, correct as it is, is such that the Standing Order itself now needs to be revisited, and that is what we wish to do.

That is quite all right. Can we proceed with the business of the day?

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