asked the Minister for Finance if he has received complaints about the long delays which occur at present in the printing of the Official Reports of parliamentary debates; and what steps are being taken to remedy the position.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Oireachtas Official Report.
26.
While I have received no such complaints, I am aware that there is some delay due to the pressure of work on the reporting staff arising from the sitting of the Public Accounts Committee and to some staff vacancies in regard to which I would refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 21 of 23rd February last.
Would the Minister not agree that the staff vacancies situation to which he has referred has reached the stage that not alone is there an extra strain being put on the staff in relation to the work they are doing but that even before the Committee of Public Accounts commenced the delay between the debate taking place and the publishing of the report was extending day by day; that it is not unusual now for almost a week to pass between the sitting of the Dáil or the Seanad and the publishing of the debate; and does the Minister not agree that in view of the fact that some years ago the debates could be had about two days after the sitting it is ridiculous that this should be allowed, particularly as it is all due to the fact that staff are not available?
That is not correct.
Would the Minister say what is correct?
Certainly it is not true to say that before the sitting of the Committee of Public Accounts the Dáil Debates issued a week after the debate took place.
That has happened.
Before the sitting of the Public Accounts Committee?
Yes, it has happened.
It is a very unusual situation.
But it has happened.
It must be very rare.
The remaining questions will appear——
I do not want to raise this on the Adjournment, as I will request, unless you allow me to ask the supplementary question.
The Deputy cannot threaten the Chair in that manner. It is immaterial to the Chair whether the Deputy raises it on the Adjournment or not.
I am promising a late night to the Minister and the Chair. I want to ask the Minister if there is anything he can do to try to remedy the position which is daily getting worse in regard to the reporting and editorial staff in this House, who have been overworked and who are not even being paid for it. Would the Minister do something about it and not pass it to the Ceann Comhairle as he did the last time?
I did indicate in the question to which I referred the Deputy the steps that were being taken to remedy the staff situation. We have taken some other steps which should certainly ease the strain on the reporting staff if we get co-operation from our fellow-Deputies.
I will leave it with the Minister so.
The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.