I move:
That Deputy Byrne be suspended from the service of the Dáil.
Suspension of Member.
I am putting the question:
That Deputy Byrne be suspended from the service of the Dáil.
Question declared carried.
I am being suspended in the interest of the Irish people for whom the Government are afraid to go out and fight.
The Deputy must now withdraw from the House.
Deputy Byrne withdrew from the Chamber.
One mickey mouse less.
(Interruptions.)
Order.
The Taoiseach should be ashamed of himself.
He is the one who should leave the House.
On a point of order, I wish to make it clear that while we did not vote on the expulsion of Deputy Byrne, that is not to say that we do not protest against your ruling. Would you not consider that the Taoiseach contributed to the unseemly outburst in the House just now by his remark to the effect that the Opposition were not serious about the milk super-levy especially since this party have promised the Government full support at all times in their efforts to defeat the proposal? In the interest of order in the House, will you ask the Taoiseach to withdraw that gratuitously insulting remark?
On a point of order, the Deputy has misquoted me. I said if the Deputies opposite were serious about seeking a second debate on the subject they would have put it down for Private Members' Time, a quite different point.
It is down for Private Members' Time.
(Interruptions.)
(Limerick West): On a point of order, is it in order for the Taoiseach to refer to a Member of this House as a mickey mouse? I would ask you, Sir, to ask the Taoiseach to withdraw that.
Deputies
Hear, hear.
(Interruptions.)
Withdraw it.
(Limerick West): I would ask you to ask the Taoiseach to withdraw that remark, a Cheann Comhairle.
I want to make if perfectly clear that I was trying to get order for the Leader of the Opposition, who was on his feet on a point of order, when there was noise all over the place.
(Interruptions.)
(Limerick West): A Cheann Comhairle, I would ask you to ask the Taoiseach to withdraw that reference to a Member of this House.
I did not hear any such remark.
(Interruptions.)
(Limerick West): You are most selective in your hearing, a Cheann Comhairle. You are not upholding the decorum of this House — if your hearing is selective — because the Taoiseach did make that remark.
Deputy Noonan will behave himself.
(Limerick West): The Taoiseach did make that remark.
If Members of this House want to make the working of this House impossible that is their business.
(Interruptions.)
(Limerick West): You are not upholding the decorum of this House.
Helped here by the Irish language, that piece about bodhaire Uí Laoghaire — bodhaire na Cathaoireach anois — you must have heard the Taoiseach make a most insulting remark about a Member of this House and the Taoiseach should be gracious enough in the interests——
(Interruptions.)
If you would give me a chance——
The Taoiseach should be gracious enough in the interests of the House to withdraw that most insulting remark.
I am saying that I did not hear the remark.
(Interruptions.)
Then your hearing must be defective. He should withdraw the remark.
(Limerick West): He should withdraw the remark.
Let me say that I did use the phrase to point up the impropriety of the Deputy concerned——
(Interruptions.)
Deputies
Blather.
——referring to the Government's mickey mousing. And if the noun mickey mouse is insulting so is the verb.
(Interruptions.)
(Limerick West): Withdraw the remark.
It is a poor attempt.
(Interruptions.)
I will have to adjourn the House. I would ask for Members' assistance.
I am accepting your word, a Cheann Comhairle, that you did not hear the Taoiseach refer in gratuitously insulting terms to a Member of this House. But surely, Sir, you now have the admission of the Taoiseach that he did use this phrase about a Member of the House. Will you now, Sir, in the interests of order, ask the Taoiseach to withdraw that remark?
Deputies
Hear, hear.
I have had no such acknowledgment from the Taoiseach and——
Deputies
He has just said it.
The Taoiseach has just said it.
I have withdrawn it and I am expecting the Opposition to withdraw the use of the verb mickey mousing equally. I presume you will insist on that equally.
I would appeal to the Members of the House to behave as adults.
Might I ask the Taoiseach when it is expected that we will have the Hours of Work Bill before this House and, if, in view of his recent comments, whether——
Look, Deputy, do not be making a speech.
Surely that is in order.
It is in order to ask when a Bill will be before the House, but it is not in order to develop that into a speech that will invite another speech turning the thing into a beer garden. Certain Members of the House seem to be determined to do that.
You have not allowed me finish my question. I demand the right to ask the question.
The Deputy asked when would a certain Bill appear on the Order Paper. That is in order——
But you interrupted me, Sir, when I added two words to that. I can assure you I have no intention of disrupting the Business of the House. It will be a very short question. May I ask the question now?
If the question is in order I will allow it.
I think you are getting too sensitive, Sir. I want to ask the Taoiseach when we will have the Hours of Work Bill, that has been promised before the Dáil——
This session.
——and if, in view of his recent comments, consideration has been given to the work-sharing aspect that could be contained in it?
The Deputy put a simple question, he has got a straight, answer. Item No. 6.
I have not had an answer. I was on my feet asking a question and the Taoiseach, in an unmannerly way, interrupted. I have not had an answer.
I would ask Deputy Gene Fitzgerald to behave as an adult.
If the Taoiseach thinks he can adopt that arrogance surely he should also show some respect to Members of this House? I will stay on my feet until I get an answer to the question. I did not get an answer.
The Chair has ruled that the Deputy got an answer.
I did not get an answer. There was an interruption while I was on my feet.
If the Chair says you got an answer, you got an answer as far as the House is concerned. I am calling Deputy Mary O'Rourke.
Could I ask the Chair what was the answer?
"This session"; everybody heard it.
For the fourth time in succession I wish to ask if the question of Athlone hospital could be taken on the Adjournment this evening. I want to stress that it is the fourth time I have endeavoured to raise this very important issue in this House.
The Chair will consider that request, together with others and make a decision at the appropriate time.
In view of the statement made by the Taoiseach that he is meeting the unions might I ask will he be informing the House of the outcome of this meeting, particularly in view of the statement made by an officer of a political party that Clondalkin Paper Mills will be re-opened?
I am not allowing a discussion on this.
I endeavoured to raise this important matter on the Adjournment yesterday. This is a very important issue.
Of course it is an important matter.
If you are not going to allow me then I will ask that the matter be raised on the Adjournment this evening, when I will be asking if a statement will be made in relation to the talks.
I will consider that together with other questions.
In view of the conflicting scientific evidence about discharges from Windscale and in view of the British Government's decision to hold a special inquiry into this matter, I should like to raise the matter on the Adjournment.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
In response to a question by Deputy De Rossa the Minister for the Environment replied "shortly" in regard to the Housing Bill. This is a very serious matter. I wonder if the Minister would be more specific. In particular, I would ask him if he will bring it forward next week.
I would hope to bring it forward within a matter of weeks, two to three weeks. We are certainly working to bring it before the House as quickly as possible.
The Minister is aware of the implications——
I am aware of the implications and the difficulties.
I wish to raise on the Adjournment the statement by the Minister for Transport regarding B & I sailings out of Cork during the summer. He has been accused by the chairman of Cork Harbour Commissioners of giving incorrect information——
The Chair will communicate with Deputy Wallace.
——and he also stated that the people of Cork did not support this service. This has been rejected and all concerned with the service——
Deputy Wallace is not in order in making a speech.
Might I ask the Taoiseach if, in view of the revelations in London yesterday, that Mussolini, during the thirties, paid £30,000 a year to the British Union of Fascists ——
That is not in order. I am ruling Deputy Andrews ——
A Cheann Comhairle, wait until I put the question.
No, I will not. The Deputy is making a speech.
I want to ask the Taoiseach if similar Government papers here—this is a matter of fundamental public importance to this country ——
I am calling Item No. 6.
I would like to raise that matter on the Adjournment, if I may, a Cheann Comhairle.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
(Limerick West): Might I ask the Taoiseach when the Government are likely to introduce legislation on land leasing?
The matter is under consideration. I would not like to say at this moment whether it will be in this session or the next—it might be in the next session rather than this—but obviously we would want to bring it forward as soon as possible.
I know it is very difficult speaking from here but at the same time I have been trying—with your permission, Sir—to request a "yes" or "no" answer: did the Taoiseach discuss the question of the use of missiles in the North of Ireland?
No, that was dealt with. We cannot go back on yesterday. I am ruling that out of order. We dealt with that yesterday.