Pursuant to Standing Order No. 77, I have to report to the Dáil that on Monday, 19 April 1982, the Dáil being adjourned for a period longer than a week——
Private Notice Questions. - Standing Order No. 77: Report by Ceann Comhairle.
I wish to ask a question.
I have allowed a number of supplementary questions and I was very considerate towards Deputies in allowing them to put questions. However, we must get on with the business of the House.
The Chair is being very impatient.
I allowed five supplementaries. I am sure the Deputy will agree I have been reasonable about this Private Notice Question.
I thought I would be entitled to ask a question.
The Deputy may ask a question now.
Does the Minister not agree that talking about experimenting with something that involves people's lives is a very unfortunate choice of words. The connection of doctors' telephones involves the lives of people. Secondly, his reply to the question by Deputy Owen is one that the House can hardly accept because the Minister said he was not aware whether people paid to be on the A list. Does he not accept that he is paid to know whether people pay to be on the A list?
I can tell the leader of Fine Gael that there are certain services available at night in rural areas for which one has to pay extra. I know that is the situation. Perhaps that is what Deputy Owen was talking about.
That was not what she asked. The question was if people can get on to the priority list by paying? What is the Minister's reply to that?
As of now, I do not know.
The Minister should know that.
I will find out and let Deputy Owen know the situation. The second part of Deputy FitzGerald's question was with regard to the experimentation. I said that the system devised for the saving of money in order to keep within the budgetary limits laid down by Deputy FitzGerald and his Government and which showed a drop of £10.8 million, without taking cognisance of increased pay rates for 1982 over 1981, was thought out on an experimental basis to give people an opportunity to make representations to my Department so that we might get the best possible service for the users of the telephones.
I will not allow any more supplementary questions on this matter.
I wish to ask the Minister——
I have told the House that I am not allowing any more supplementary questions. It is I who decides whether supplementary questions are allowed and the Deputy must obey the Chair on this matter.
On a point of order, because of the very unsatisfactory nature of the Minister's reply, I wish to give notice of my intention to raise this matter on the Adjournment.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
Because of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply to my Private Notice Question, I wish to give notice of my intention to raise it on the Adjournment.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.