asked the Taoiseach the total cost of imports and exports during the 12 months ended 31 March 1980.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Imports and Exports Cost.
3.
During the 12 months ended 31 March 1980 imports amounted to £5,132 million and exports amounted to £3,705 million.
Question No. 4.
The Minister of State at the Department of Posts and Telegraphs (Mr. Killilea) rose.
Is there any explanation for the absence of the Minister from the Chamber?
That does not arise.
Surely it is a discourtesy to the House, to say the least, that despite the Minister being in the House, he is not answering questions?
The Chair has no responsibility in this matter. The Minister of State is answering the questions and the Deputy may not raise a question about the absence of the Minister.
On a point of order, is it to be taken as the practice of the Government for junior Ministers to answer questions when the Cabinet Ministers concerned are in the House?
That type of question is not in order. I am calling Question No. 4.
As Deputy Deasy has said, this is a discourtesy to the House.
There is developing the pattern whereby certain Deputies will not allow questions to proceed.
Perhaps the Taoiseach would care to comment on the Minister's absence.
On a point of order, I think this is a fair point to make.
Not at Question Time and Deputy Kelly should not come in at this stage.
The Minister was in the Chamber one and a half hours ago and if he is engaged on other business now which takes precedence over his answering questions, perhaps we might be told what that other business is.
That type of question should not arise at Question Time. I am calling on the Minister of State to answer Question No. 4.
I have asked the Taoiseach to clear up this point of order.
The matter is not in order. It is not a point of order at this stage. If it is the intention of Deputy Harte not to allow questions to proceed, the Chair will have to take action.
I noticed the Minister exchanging a joke here about one and a half hours ago with his junior Minister. Why is he not here now?
For the information of the House, the Minister is at a very important union meeting.
It has been a well-established practice both on the part of this Government and on the part of the previous Government that parliamentary questions are answered by the Minister of Government or by a Minister of State as is appropriate and convenient. It just happens that on this occasion the Minister of the Government involved is engaged on very important departmental business. It is perfectly in accordance with the precedents for the Minister of State to answer in these circumstances.
Our concern is that the practice would become standard.