On a point of order, we were led to believe that the Minister for Justice would make a statement on the Ballsbridge episodes of last Saturday at 3.30 p.m. Perhaps the Chair would enlighten us.
Business of Dáil.
I understand that agreement has been reached between the Whips and that the statement will be made at 5 o'clock.
We have already had two postponements of important statements today, one by the Taoiseach at 10.30 this morning which apparently will not now be made, and the other by the Minister for Justice which was supposed to come at 3.30 p.m. and is now being postponed to 5 p.m. I would ask you, a Cheann Comhairle, to use your good offices with the Government to see if we, as an Opposition Party, can have some definite information about these matters.
I am sorry that the Leader of the Opposition misrepresents the position, because it was explained privately to him very clearly why the Taoiseach would not make a statement in this House at 10.30 this morning, and to infer, as he has just done, that there was something underhand on the part of the Government in that cancellation——
I did not say that.
Weathercock government.
Let us be quite clear. I understand the position is that the Minister for Justice is anxious to have the information to be given to this House as up-to-date as possible and that our Chief Whip informed the Opposition Chief Whip that, with their agreement, we would postpone the statement until five o'clock, which was what happened.
I want to make it clear, I am not inferring any underhand methods at all to either the Taoiseach or the Government. But I do think we are entitled to a little more certainty in the conduct of the affairs of this House. I am asking you, a Cheann Comhairle, to use your good offices to see that we are given some definite type of information on these matters, information which will be adhered to as the day proceeds.
In the matter of these statements which are on sensitive subjects, which the Opposition Leader well knows, there can be no certainty about them.
We know not the day nor the hour.