It is proposed to take business in the following order: Nos. 2, 3, 15, 11, 12, 6, 13 and 14.
Order of Business.
I apologise for the fact that I have not been able to give any notice of the matter I intend to raise now but I am seeking the assistance of the Taoiseach, and the Government, in regard to the Order of Business today. Unfortunately, this is a day of very considerable pressures. The special Committee on rent legislation will be meeting at 11 o'clock and our spokesman on the Environment——
Might I intervene for one second? Deputy Haughey is at least as well aware as the Chair of what is relevant or not on the Order of Business. I am not aware of what Deputy Haughey is going to raise but it sounds like something that may not be relevant on the Order of Business. If I am correct in that and Deputy Haughey makes a longish statement, as he sometimes does, the Chair will be in an impossible position and will find it difficult to be fair and impartial to all Members of the House. I rely on Deputy Haughey to be careful that he does not raise something at length which is not in order.
That is a rather extraordinary statement by the Chair because what I propose to deal with is exactly on the Order of Business, precisely and exactly. I thought my preliminary remark would have indicated that.
I do not think Deputy Haughey has any occasion to be annoyed or lose his temper in view of what we had yesterday.
When the Chair reads what the Chair said he will see Deputy Haughey was right.
I am not going to enter into a discussion with the Chair on the general restrictions and limitations on this side of the House, but when I am dealing specifically with the Order of Business and asking the Government to facilitate us I should at least be heard by the Chair. I was endeavouring to explain, before the Chair interrupted me and anticipated what he thought I might say, that there is a special Committee sitting today on rent restriction legislation. That Committee will be meeting at 11 o'clock and our spokesman on the Environment will be fully involved, naturally, in that Committee. The Housing Bill, 1983, is ordered as the second item on the Order of Business today and I want, very humbly and with due deference to the Chair, to suggest to the Government that, if possible, the Order of Business might be changed to put item No. 11 after item No. 12. I apologise to the Government Chief Whip that I have not been able to give him notice of this before now but the matter only arose very late this morning. I know it is a rather startling constitutional and parliamentary departure but I suggest that this little facility might be given to this humble, unworthy Opposition.
It seems to the Chair that it is something like the proverbial mouse which could have been dealt with by the Whips.
We accept the apology of the Chair. The Chair should have been a little more patient.
There is no difficulty about the mouse.
That means that the Order of Business the Chair has read out should now be re-read. Will the Chair be kind enough to do so?
The Order of Business is: Nos. 2, 3, 15, 12, 11, 6, 13 and 14.
I wish to raise on the Adjournment the decision of the Government not to go ahead with the decentralisation of the Department of Agriculture to Cavan town.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
I should like to ask the Taoiseach if he is aware of the request of the Fianna Fáil Party for a judicial inquiry into the happenings in Údarás na Gaeltachta over a period?
That does not arise on the Order of Business.
I should like to ask the Taoiseach to indicate to the House whether the Government will respond to this request from the Fianna Fáil Party.
I am ruling that a request of that nature is not in order.
Why is the House running away all the time from an attempt to have the facts established objectively for the people of the country to protect the development of the Gaeltacht areas?
I will not allow a speech. This is the sort of thing the Chair must try to avoid. The Deputy should resume his seat. I cannot allow something to be elaborated on after I have indicated that the matter is out of order. I must insist on that.
I should like to inquire why it is that all questions formally put forward by this side of the House have been refused by the Chair in this manner?
I cannot have my ruling questioned in this way. I have invited Deputies who want reasons in detail for questions being ruled out of order to come to my office. Already each Deputy who had a question refused has been informed in a very courteous and detailed way by my private secretary of the reasons for the refusal, but if the Deputy concerned wishes a more in-depth discussion he is welcome to come to my office. I must add that that invitation is rarely taken up.
Would the Ceann Comhairle agree that the reason his very courteous secretary gave me——
The Chair does not want to hear it in this manner because it is not in order. I am not going to have an argument about it. I am calling Item No. 2.
It would not be possible——
I am calling Item No. 2. Deputy Mac Giolla——
It would not be possible to have this item raised until February if we were to follow the advice of the Ceann Comhairle. This is a disgrace.
The Deputy will resume his seat. I am calling Deputy Mac Giolla.
Could I ask a favour of the Taoiseach? In view of the fact that The Workers' Party have no Private Members' Time available would he allow Government time for the taking of item No. 51 on yesterday's Order Paper, 7 December 1983?
That is not in order either, Deputy Mac Giolla. The Deputy has an avenue available to him through the Whips. If he wants to ask that question he should go to the Whips. Item No. 2.
Yesterday during Question Time the Minister for Social Welfare stated that the double payment at Christmas was exactly the same as last year.
I am not going to have a discussion on yesterday's Question Time.
I do not want a discussion on it at this point; I am asking you a question, a Cheann Comhairle. The Minister stated that the double payment at Christmas was exactly the same as last year. Later on during Question Time he said he would check the matter out. I should like to ask him now if he did check the matter out.
I cannot resume yesterday's Question Time by way of supplementaries today.
With your permission, then, a Cheann Comhairle, I wish to raise the matter on the Adjournment.
The Chair will communicate with Deputy O'Hanlon. He will be in competition with Deputy Wilson.
——on procedure.