Before I call the Order of Business, I wish to make a brief announcement concerning disorder in the House yesterday. I was concerned at the outburst by Deputy Rabbitte during the course of Leaders' Questions. As experienced parliamentarians, we all accept that from time to time in the heat of the moment robust remarks will be made.
However, the tenor of Deputy Rabbitte's remarks represents a marked departure from what would be considered to be an acceptable standard of behaviour in Parliament, even when issues of heated controversy are before the House, which was not the case yesterday. The remarks represented an unprecedented and unprovoked attack on the Chair and would not be tolerated in a parliamentary democracy of any standing. In fact, if the record were left stand, the position of the Chair, not alone for the Ceann Comhairle and the Leas-Cheann Comhairle but also for future incumbents, would be severely undermined to the detriment of the House itself. If a Member has difficulty with any ruling or rulings of the Chair, there is a time honoured way of challenging this by way of substantive motion.
Yesterday, in deference to Deputy Rabbitte's position as leader of his party, I chose to suspend the proceedings for five minutes rather than deal with him more directly as I would have been well entitled to do. In any event, Deputy Rabbitte saw fit to remove himself from the Chamber. However, in the interests of the standing of the House and the integrity of the position of Ceann Comhairle, which I am honoured to hold, the Chair is giving a fair warning this morning that any repeat of this type of attack on the Chair will not be tolerated and will lead to the naming of the Member concerned notwithstanding his position in his party.
Since assuming office as Ceann Comhairle — and in my five years as Leas-Cheann Comhairle — I have always upheld the rules of this House without fear or favour to the high standards set by my predecessors. I have no intention of allowing the Chair to be intimidated and deflected from doing his duty.
I ask Members to take note of this announcement here as I do not intend to revisit this matter.