It is proposed to take No. 8 (Resumed).
Order of Business.
I should like to ask the Taoiseach whether he has given any further consideration to making a statement to the House on the discussions with the farming organisations and whatever decisions have been arrived at arising from those discussions.
I thought I indicated yesterday that the discussions that members of the Government and I had with representatives of the farming organisations on Tuesday and the agreement reached will be considered by the councils of those farming organisations today for endorsement. I suggested yesterday that until that takes place there was no point in making any statement to the House.
Would the Taoiseach not agree that the House has certain functions in budgetary matters and that in those circumstances the House should have an opportunity to consider these proposals before a decision is taken by the farmers rather than afterwards?
I do not agree that the House should have an opportunity to discuss these matters beforehand.
Is the Taoiseach not prepared to give any information on today's press reports, on their accuracy or otherwise, as to what has been agreed? Is the House to be left in ignorance as to the truth of these reports? Is that what is proposed?
The matter has not been concluded as far as the farming organisations are concerned. When that is done I will consider what is the appropriate thing to do.
Would the Taoiseach not agree that the House has a right to be informed as to what the proposals are, because they are proposals to change the budget which is before the House?
Not at this stage, I suggest.
I should like to ask the Taoiseach if, in view of the decision of the Post Office Workers' Union to have a further all-out strike next week, he would think it most desirable and necessary that the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs should take the initiative and ask the executive of the POWU to meet him with a view to trying to resolve this strike?
The Deputy is using the Order of Business for the purpose of dealing with a matter which should be approached as a Private Notice Question.
There are many precedents for my question.
On a point of order, I should like to point out that this business is occurring daily. The Order of Business is, I respectfully suggest, being turned into a gross disorderly shambles. Deputies are taking advantage of situations they know should not arise. Deputies may ask a Private Notice Question and, if it is disallowed through the discretion of the Chair, I suggest that they should not take the opportunity on the Order of Business to be disorderly and raise it in that manner.
The question as to whether a matter is in order or not is for the Chair to decide and not the Taoiseach. I should like to remind the Taoiseach that if he looks over the record from 1973 to 1977 he will see that on many occasions he successfully and skilfully used the proper procedure on the Order of Business to make inquiries such as I have made.
The Chair will not allow a debate now on what is relevant or not. I am moving on to No. 8.
Does the Taoiseach not consider that the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs should take the initiative in meeting the executive of the POWU with a view to trying to resolve this matter? The Taoiseach is refusing to answer my question on this issue, a total evasion of his responsibilities as Taoiseach.
I wish to give notice of my intention to raise on the Adjournment the subject matter of Question No. 32 on the Order Paper.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.