asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if it is now the policy of the Government to eliminate the smaller post offices throughout the country.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Post Office Policy.
18.
No, it is not the policy. Post offices are closed rarely, and usually only when the business being done is small, and no suitable candidate is forthcoming to take up appointment as postmaster.
Arising out of Question No. 18, might I ask the Minister if it is the intention of the Department to phase out the small country sub-offices and that it is the intention of the Department of Social Welfare to cease, in the not-too-distant future, the operation of all their payments through post offices such as the purchase of social welfare stamps?
I will deal with that when we get to Question No. 31.
It is the subject matter of Question No. 18.
I must say that a high proportion of the Deputy's questions are out of order.
I have not had an answer to No. 18.
(Interruptions.)
On a point of order, have we been dealing with No. 18 or have we not been dealing with No. 18? The Minister seems to indicate that No. 18 has nothing to do with what I have been asking.
Order please.
Tell the Minister when a point of order is raised——
Order.
The Minister is disorder-ly. I am raising a point of order and he is obliged to sit down. Maybe he does not know that.
Would the Deputy please resume his seat? The Minister has explicitly answered the question. This subject matter will be raised on another question.
I asked a supplementary totally relevant to the question and I was parried by the information that I would be answered at a later stage. If that is so why were the two questions not taken together?