I move: "That Deputy Deasy be suspended from the service of the Dáil." In accordance with Standing Orders, the division will take place on Tuesday next before the Order of Business. The Deputy must now leave the House.
Suspension of Member.
I am leaving under protest. This is crazy stuff. It is wrong.
Deputy Deasy withdrew from the Chamber.
On a point of order, the Deputy's suspension results from the failure of a Department to respond to a relevant question tabled by an Opposition spokesperson. A memorandum was sent to the Ceann Comhairle's office stating the relevant information was not available and, consequently, the parliamentary question could not be answered. This is common practice nowadays. It is also common practice for Members to be informed that the Minister has no responsibility to the House.
With regard to this parliamentary question, the Minister had the information and used it outside the House, which is also common practice. He is treating the House with contempt. I would like to have this issue dealt with at the next meeting of the Committee on Procedures and Privileges.
Deputy Deasy made a valid point, although he may not have made it in the right surroundings, given that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is not present. An explanation is needed in this first instance regarding why the Minister has not shown us the courtesy of being present for his priority questions, which do not come around every day. As Labour Party spokesperson on justice, equality and law reform, I was not contacted by the Minister, his officials or the Ministers of State regarding his absence. That is a severe and serious discourtesy to myself and to the House. However, it reflects the point made by Deputy Deasy. The Minister's attitude to the House——
The Deputy has made his point.
The Minister has made misleading statements outside the House regarding the recent Garda figures on crime levels, in which he indicated legislation he put through the House was responsible for the decreases in crime levels. At the same time, he will not inform the House in reply to parliamentary questions what legislation has led to this reduction in crime. The Minister is swanning around, manipulating the figures and operating a public relations machine to convince the public that he is doing a fantastic job and he is a wonderful Minister, but he will not come to the House.
The Deputy has made his point and should resume his seat.
He has a 50% attendance record on priority questions. This is not the first time he has done this. He was supposed to introduce legislation——
The Minister notified my office that he would not be present because he is in London.
The entire day was to be devoted to Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform business.
The Deputy has made his point and should resume his seat.
Emergency immigration legislation was to be introduced and passed today but the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform did not have the courtesy to be present.
The Deputy should show courtesy to the Chair.
I am being courteous to the Ceann Comhairle.
I appreciate that but the Deputy has extended my generosity.
I must protest.
The Deputy has made his protest and it has been recorded. I call Deputy Paul McGrath.
This is a valid protest and the Chair must——
If the Deputy will not resume his seat, I will suspend the sitting until 4.15 p.m. I call Deputy Paul McGrath.
I have a final point of order. A Cheann Comhairle, you have a responsibility to Members to ensure the Government does not mislead——
The Deputy should resume his seat.
I have a serious point of order.
The Chair might well assume this is orchestrated.
I have not orchestrated this.
The Chair might well assume it when one Deputy after another gets up to disrupt the business of the House. This is Question Time to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.
I did not come in here to disrupt the business of the House.
You are disrupting the business of the House. I am asking you to resume your seat.
I came here with serious questions——
I am giving you one last chance to resume your seat.
The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is not here to take my questions and he has not given any——
Deputy, resume your seat.
The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has not given me an explanation as to why he is not here and I want one.
You have ensured that the sitting is now suspended until 4.15 p.m., at which time we will take a Private Notice Question.
Sitting suspended at 4 p.m. and resumed at 4.15 p.m.
A Cheann Comhairle, may I raise a point of order?
Deputy Costello, we cannot have a point of order on the issue we dealt with earlier. Have you a point of order on the Private Notice Question?
I have a point of order.
Very well.
There was absolutely no orchestration in what happened earlier.
I am sorry Deputy, you may not raise that point of order.
You made an allegation in the House.
I did not make an allegation. I asked a question, Deputy.
At the very least you made a suggestion.
I am not discussing the matter with you. We are moving on to the Private Notice Question or I will adjourn the House until Tuesday.
I am not making a reflection on you. I want to clarify there was no orchestration in this matter.
I ask you to resume your seat and allow your colleague Deputy Shortall, to ask her question.
It is important that this point be clarified.
The Deputy will have to find another way to clarify it. We are moving on to the Private Notice Question.
A statement was made by you, a Cheann Comhairle. If you will just give me one minute——
You and not the Chair will bring about the adjournment of the House until Tuesday.
I want one minute of your time——
I have dealt with the matter.
—— and we can resolve the matter.
There will be no discussion on the matter. We have moved on to the Private Notice Question. The Deputy will have to find another way of raising the matter.
I do not wish to leave the House.
I call Deputy Shortall.
There is an important point.
I ask you to resume your seat. If you do not resume your seat the House will be adjourned until Tuesday afternoon.
When will I have an opportunity for clarification?
That does not arise now. I call Deputy Shortall to ask her Private Notice Question.
I do not wish to have to leave this House.
I am not asking you to leave the House. I will adjourn the House until Tuesday if you do not resume your seat.
There is an important point.
The business of the House must continue. If you resume your seat we will take the Private Notice Question. If you do not resume it, we adjourn the House.
I am very reluctant to do so without the clarification.
Deputy, I ask you to resume your seat.
I do so under duress. I do not want to see the business of the House adjourned.
On a point of order, a Cheann Comhairle, you are punishing the entire class for the sins of one pupil. You are punishing the Opposition, including my colleagues and me.
You will withdraw the remark that the Chair is punishing you.
You are doing so.
You will withdraw the remark.
I have no opportunity to put my questions to the Minister.
The Chair was left with no option but to suspend the sitting as Members continued to be disorderly. I ask you to resume your seat.
You are punishing the entire class for the sins of one student and that is grossly unfair.
You are being unfair to Deputy Shortall.