It is proposed to take the business as on the Order Paper, Nos. 1, 2 and 3, No. 3 to include Votes Nos. 68, 63 and 64.
Order of Business.
Might I ask if you have any information that a new Minister for Finance has been appointed? If so, may we know why Dáil Éireann has been ignored in any announcement of the matter?
It is not for me to interpret legislation, I believe, but under the Ministers and Secretaries Act there is no obligation to impart such information to the House.
Is there a Minister for Finance at all in this country? Does anybody know? Is it relevant to ask in Dáil Éireann: is there a Minister for Finance in Eire now? If there is, I have not heard of him. Where is he, or who is he, or when are we to be informed as to his identity?
It is published in Iris Oifigiúil.
I have not seen it in Irish Oifigiúil. When was it published in Iris Oifigiúil?
In the most recent issue.
Was it published in the last issue?
Go to the Library and find out.
Are we to understand that the Government are not going to pay Dáil Éireann the courtesy of announcing in the Dáil that a Minister for Finance has been appointed?
The Dáil does not allocate Ministers to specific offices. The allocation of offices to members of the Government is the function of the Taoiseach.
Of which the Dáil is informed.
The Dáil appoints certains persons to be members of the Government. It does not allocate Ministerial offices.
I am making the point that the Dáil is then informed as to the allocation of offices to various Ministers.
There is an official announcement published in Iris Oifigiúil.
Not only that, but the Taoiseach when he has formed his Government informs the House of the members of that Government, and the Ministries which have been allocated. That has always been the practice here.
Is there a Tánaiste in this country at present?
There is.
Is there? Where is he?
An official announcement in that connection has also been published.
This House has not been informed as to his identity.
Might I ask the Minister for Local Government a question affecting the inauguration of the President on Monday next?
I have had no notice of this question.
At 12 noon on Monday certain local bodies, including the Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Corporations——
On a point of order, I object very strongly to this question being allowed.
It has to be a question regarding a matter of urgent public importance.
It is.
The Chair is the judge of that, and should get written notice of such a question. I have got no notice of any such question.
I tried to find you in your office, but you were not there at the time.
I am in my office until 1 o'clock every day.
It is a matter affecting many Deputies in the House. They have been invited to the inauguration of the President. By law, they must attend the corporation meeting to elect mayors and chairmen at the same time. I am raising the matter so that it may be possible to find some way out of the impasse. Many members on the Government Benches have discussed this matter with me, and I understand that the Minister for Local Government is aware of the position.
On a point of order. Will you, Sir, remind the Minister for Local Government that when he wants to raise a point of order he should have the common courtesy to stand up?
The Deputy has given visual evidence of the fact that he is able to stand up. I should like to assure Deputy Coogan that this matter has been examined very closely. Unfortunately, the date of the meeting is a statutory date fixed by law and I have no power to alter it. I understand, however, that some local authorities have found a way out. They have adjourned the meeting from 12 o'clock until after the ceremony. So far as I know, there is nothing which would prohibit the Dun Laoghaire Corporation from following the excellent example of the Dublin Corporation in this matter.
There are more than Dublin and Dun Laoghaire involved.
The others could look to Dublin, too.
I understand that the Dublin Corporation have not agreed to meet at a later hour. They have not actually met and they will have to meet to decide that. That is the difficulty.
Unfortunately, I can do nothing about it. The House has framed the law and it stands.
Nothing has been decided by the Dublin Corporation.
I understood they had decided.
What is the idea of issuing invitations when the statutory law prevents those to whom the invitations are sent from attending the function?
On the order of business, I want to inquire if the Government proposes to provide time wherein to make a statement on the protocol for the inauguration of the President. So far as I know, Deputies desire to meet this ceremony in the spirit in which it is designed. But, personally, I for one am not going to attempt that if legitimate attempts to do so are to be used as propaganda for the purpose of describing me as a shoneen, as a West Briton and as aping the customs of other countries.
I do not see how this arises.
I am asking will the Government, before the date of the inauguration, provide an occasion to discuss the protocol of this ceremony or are we to turn up in any kind of clothes we like—kilts, bawneens, saffron tweed suits, stockbrokers' short black jackets, morning coats and black hats. I want the ceremony to be conducted with dignity and decency. I know what I should do in New York, London, Paris or Valparaiso, but I do not know what I should do in Dublin.
The Deputy might have given some notice of this question. He should not raise such a question without notice to the Chair.
I asked yesterday if time would be given to make a statement on this matter. The Taoiseach replied that he intended persons to wear robes. I do not believe he is going to appear in the robes of the Chancellor of the University when he attends as Taoiseach.
That is not making the subject relevant to anything on the Order Paper.
I am asking if time will be provided to discuss the matter and settle this protocol.
In so raising it, the Deputy is discussing it.
Are we to turn up in guano bags or in the formal attire that graces such occasions in most civilised countries?
The Deputy can turn up in whatever he prefers.
I take it it is guano bags or kilts.
A Deputy
Is there any objection to a person appearing with the Union Jack wrapped round him?
May I ask on what days the Dáil will sit next week?
On Tuesday and Wednesday.
Is it not all fraudulent codology? I suppose it will be bowler hats.
Deputies ought to be anxious for decorum in the House as well as elsewhere.
Those who are anxious for decorum do not get a chance of promoting it.