I beg to bring under your notice that, when the Minister for Justice was concluding his statement on his Estimate, Deputy Cafferky referred to his statement as a deliberately lying one. He refused to withdraw the expression and refused to leave the House. I bring the matter to your attention.
Estimates for Public Services, 1947-48. - Suspension of Deputies.
The Ceann Comhairle took the Chair.
I am constrained to name the Deputy, in accordance with Standing Orders.
I move:—
That Deputy Cafferky be suspended from the service of the Dáil.
Question put and declared carried.
Division challenged.
Would the Deputies who demand a division on that matter please rise in their places?
Deputies Cafferky, Commons, Finnucane and Flanagan rose.
There being only four Deputies demanding a division, the motion is carried. The Deputy is suspended from the service of the House.
Deputy Cafferky withdrew from the House.
Before you put the Vote, I want to ask a question. In view of the statement that was made by the Minister yesterday, which definitely implied that Clann na Talmhan in County Mayo was responsible for the burning of Brize House, I demand that the Minister withdraw that statement, now that the claims have been withdrawn and there will be no action taken in the matter by the parties concerned.
Did the Minister make that statement? I doubt it very much.
He did. The Minister implied it and an implication is as good as a statement, as far as I am concerned.
Deputy Cafferky implied it off a public platform.
I want the Minister to withdraw the statement and if he does not do so I will not have anything to do with this and can only call him the same as Deputy Cafferky called him.
The Deputy cannot make a speech now.
I ask the Minister to withdraw, and if he does not do so, I will have to say he made a damn lying statement in the House.
The Deputy must withdraw that statement.
I will not withdraw it—and I have as much respect for the Chair as anyone else.
Then I must name the Deputy.
I move:—
That Deputy Commons be suspended from the service of the Dáil.
Question put and declared carried.
Deputy Commons withdrew from the House.