On the Order of Business, in accordance with Article 29 of Standing Orders, I request leave to move the Adjournment of the Dáil for the purpose of discussing a matter of public importance, namely, the urgent necessity for the Government to direct the Attorney General to withdraw forthwith from further participation in the case in which he appeared for the defence of an insurance company in its practice of selling what the President of the High Court described as illegal gambling policies, or any further similar cases, lest the high office of the Attorney General be brought into disrepute.
Standing Order 29: Request to raise matter of Urgent Public Importance.
The member was good enough to give me notice of his intention to raise this matter as one of urgent public importance under Standing Order 29. I considered it fully and I have decided it is not such matter as is contemplated under the Standing Order, as it is not urgent in the sense that the Standing Order requires. The matter which it is desired to raise must be some sudden emergency, as to be seen to be prima facie urgent, and must be of such a nature that delay in discussing it might prevent effective action being taken. I have no doubt that the matter in question does not satisfy the requirements. I cannot, therefore, accede to the member's request.
You are the final authority in the House, Sir, but you have already refused on two occasions within the past fortnight to allow this matter to be discussed on the Adjournment. The Government have refused time when they were requested——
I cannot allow the Deputy to discuss the matter.
Is it possible to have this matter discussed at all in the House? This is a deliberate attempt to prevent the public knowing the truth.
I cannot allow the Deputy to proceed in this fashion. The Deputy has put down a motion to consider the matter.
The motion has been on the Order Paper for the past three weeks and the Government have refused to give time for the motion to be discussed. Surely you will now protect the interest of ordinary Deputies by allowing time for this matter to be discussed.
I am protecting the interests of public——
You are not protecting the interests of the public.
A matter of grave importance is involved here in so far as this man is being paid a considerable sum, £3,500 a year, to defend the public interest. If this practice is allowed to continue, he is putting himself in the position of defending a company which has——
The Deputy has now done his good deed for the day.
The Deputy is now discussing the matter. I have ruled the matter is not of urgent importance within the provisions of the Standing Order.
Did the Ceann Comhairle say he is protecting the public ? Is it not a fact the Ceann Comhairle is protecting the Government, not the public ?
Is it not a fact that this man is guilty of a grave dereliction of duty with regard to his responsibility to the people ? He is running with the hare and hunting with the hounds, being paid by both sides. It is a good joke. The Taoiseach can laugh.
The Deputy is funnier than he thinks.
This is exploitation of the public. Is it not a fact that this man has cost the country £50,000 in fees——
Is this the Deputy's good deed for the day?
——so far, arising out of the Lawless case, the Singer case, the Electoral Act and the Shanahan case?
The Deputy will resume his seat.
There is £50,000 in fees involved, in addition to £3,500 a year. This is scandalous behaviour.