On a point of order, there is a Mr. Michael Murphy, a citizen of this State, at present detained in Crumlin Road Jail and this man has been subject——
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers.
The Chair has no notice of this question, Deputy.
This is a point of order. I notified the Ceann Comhairle.
May I make a point of order? Not at this stage.
One point of order at a time, with all respect.
This is an attempt to by-pass the Rules of Order.
No.
It is an obvious attempt, which Deputy Cluskey has done several times already.
The Chair will decide what is or what is not a point of order.
It is an attempt to expose torture being inflicted on a citizen of this State by a foreign power.
The Deputy may not raise that matter now.
I have here a signed statement——
The Chair cannot permit that to be discussed.
——concerning torture which was inflicted on a constituent of mine in Belfast.
The Deputy will have to resume his seat.
This statement describes the injustices which were inflicted on this man.
The Deputy is disobeying the Rules of Order of this House.
I have no desire to be disorderly but I must demand that citizens of this country——
The Deputy must resume his seat.
——be given the protection of this Government in circumstances which now exist——
If the Deputy does not resume his seat he will force the Chair into a certain position. The Deputy is well aware of that.
——savagery after being detained by the British Army.
If the Deputy will not resume his seat——
This is a gross abuse of the privilege of this House.
It is a gross abuse of the privileges of a citizen of this State that this man cannot get the protection of the Government of this State against this kind of treatment by a foreign power.
The Deputy must resume his seat.
The Taoiseach must——
The Deputy is by-passing the Chair.
I have documented evidence to the effect that this man is being brutally tortured while in the custody of the British Army.
The Deputy is by-passing the Chair. He is abusing the privilege of the House.
(Interruptions.)
The Deputy is entitled to use this House——
I sought permission——
The Deputy is abusing the privilege of the House.
The Government are abusing the people.
I sought the permission of the Ceann Comhairle to raise this question.
On a point of order. A short time ago I was told of a Private Notice Question that Deputy Cluskey had put in regarding the subject matter of his now disorderly interjection here. Almost simultaneously I was told that the matter was not permitted by the Ceann Comhairle to be raised as a Private Notice Question. That is the extent of my knowledge of this incident that this Deputy is trying to raise.
Is it not true that the Department of Foreign Affairs was notified by a Belfast solicitor whom I secured on behalf of Mr. Murphy——
The Chair has no knowledge——
——of the treatment to which Mr. Murphy has been subjected while in detention.
The Deputy must resume his seat.
I must insist that this Government afford to a citizen of this State, a constituent of mine, the protection to which he is entitled.
I shall suspend the sitting of the House if the Deputy does not resume his seat.
Business suspended at 2.40 p.m. and resumed at 3 p.m.
I want to raise——
Would Deputy Cluskey please allow Questions to proceed?
It is not my intention or my desire to disrupt the proceedings of this House. My protest is against your ruling that while a man, a constituent of mine——
It is not in order. The Deputy will please resume his seat.
We are to have the same all over again.
The Deputy's question has been carefully considered and it does not conform with Standing Orders.
(Interruptions.)
Order. Ceist a haon.
On that basis I will leave the House in protest.
Deputy Cluskey withdrew.
May I be allowed——
Order.
This is a matter which is of extreme importance.
The Deputy may not make a point.
May I be allowed——
Sit down.
The Deputy will please resume his seat. He is being disorderly. This does not arise. I have called Question No. 1 and if the Deputy does not wish to be orderly——
I do not wish to be disorderly.
Will the Taoiseach assure the House that this man will be protected by this House. What is the Taoiseach afraid of? This man has constitutional rights. Your internment camp would be open in the Curragh now if it were not for us.