As the Deputy has decided she will not leave the House——
Suspension of Member.
On a point of order——
——I must move: "That Deputy Shortall be suspended from the service of the Dáil." Is that motion opposed?
It most certainly is being opposed.
The proceedings were brought to an end.
In accordance with Standing Order 62, any division on the suspension of a Member is postponed——
If the Ceann Comhairle persists with it——
——until immediately before the Order of Business on the next sitting day, which in this case is tomorrow.
——I will lead my Deputies out of this Chamber in protest at the unfair treatment of Deputy Shortall.
Deputy Shortall must now leave the House.
A Cheann Comhairle, this is a charade.
The Deputy must now leave the House.
We were promised that we would be allowed to ask questions and get answers.
The Deputy must now leave the House.
Deputy Burton came in and asked legitimate questions, but the Minister completely ignored her.
If the Deputy does not leave the House, I will have to suspend the sitting.
We have a right to answers to our questions.
I will suspend the sitting for 15 minutes.
Sitting suspended at 5.05 p.m. and resumed at 5.20 p.m.
Deputy Shortall, I must ask you to leave the House.
I will leave the House now in protest against the failure by the Minister for Finance, Deputy Lenihan, to answer legitimate questions posed by my colleague, Deputy Joan Burton.
The Labour Party Deputies will leave the House in protest at the Minister's failure to answer Deputy Burton's question which gave rise to the request by the Ceann Comhairle that Deputy Shortall should leave the House. When we ask questions in the Chamber the Minister should reply to them. Instead of doing so, he headed for the door at the first opportunity he got. That shows disrespect to the House and to Deputy Burton, and for the serious matters we had to discuss.
Deputy Gilmore——
It is ironic that it is Deputy Shortall. Deputy Shortall protested——
All I can say to Deputy Gilmore is that no further questions were allowed. His party members were involved in this matter for one hour and 20 minutes and all the Chair can do is facilitate the Members by allowing the question. The Chair did so and allowed several Private Notice questions. The debate took much longer than is normal in these circumstances because I continued to allow Members ask questions. There was a considerable amount of repetition and I regret that Deputy Gilmore is aggrieved. That is all I can say.
Question put.
Deputies
Vótáil.
Deputy Shortall withdrew from the Chamber.