It is proposed to take business as follows: No. 6, (resumed). Private Members' Business will be taken from 7 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. By agreement, item No. 1 will be dealt with.
Order of Business.
I move that item No. 1 on today's Order Paper be taken in Private Members' time, by agreement.
It must, under Standing Orders, be taken in Private Members' time. I understand it is being taken this evening.
Agreed.
(Cavan-Monaghan): On the Order of Business, having regard to certain rumours prevalent in recent days, has the Constituency Commission reported?
Not to the Government.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Has the Taoiseach seen the report?
No. I have no information whatsoever from the commission.
(Cavan-Monaghan): The Taoiseach says that it has not reported to the Government. Does that mean it may have reported to the Minister for the Environment?
No. Not to the Minister either.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Are the contents of the report or its draft available?
Neither the Minister nor the Government have any report as yet from the commission.
(Cavan-Monaghan): I asked the Taoiseach the last day but I did not hear his reply as to whether he will accept the report in full when it is furnished to him and as to whether he will act on it.
That is a question that I ruled out today. It is the essence of a hypothetical question in relation to which I could not establish a precedent by permitting it. There are many reports and if I permit one to be anticipated in this way I could not rule out any of them.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Will the Taoiseach say that he will stand over the assurance given by his predecessor?
That does not arise on the Order of Business.
(Cavan-Monaghan): I trust that the silence from the Taoiseach's side does not mean that he has other proposals to renege on the commission's proposals.
My silence is strictly orderly.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Perhaps it is conveniently so.