It is proposed to take No. 6.
Order of Business.
I wish to ask the Taoiseach if he or the Minister for Foreign Affairs would be prepared to give the House some information today regarding the developments in the Six County area along the Border where the Northern Ireland parties are engaged in a programme of blocking roads? Perhaps we could have some information about the matter and the Government's attitude towards this development.
As Deputy Haughey knows, this does not arise on the Order of Business. If it was to be taken now it could lead to a mini-debate and exchanges across the House which would be very much out of order. What was the net question which Deputy Haughey asked?
I appreciate you have a certain sympathy with me in this matter. That is coming through quite clearly. My net question is to ask the Taoiseach if he could avail of some mechanism whereby he could give information to the House today in connection with this matter.
There is no real objection to that as long as it does not involve a ping pong operation across the floor of the House.
The Deputy could raise it by way of a Private Notice Question which could be answered this afternoon.
I will avail of that.
Lest there is any misunderstanding about it, that is a matter for the Chair having been properly advised as to whether the Private Notice Question meets the criteria for such a question.
We accept that. It is absolutely axiomatic but, in considering the matter, the Chair will understand——
Please do not develop this matter any further.
In view of the imprisonment of five students arising from the removal of general medical service cards, could I ask the Taoiseach——
I am surprised at Deputy O'Hanlon, I am ruling that out of order.
It is a matter of urgency.
There are other ways of trying to pursue this matter as the Deputy will have just learned.
You will appreciate that students are imprisoned at present.
You cannot raise this on the Order of Business and I ask you to follow the good example set by the leader of your party.
Does the Taoiseach intend making a statement following the admission by the British authorities of the accident at Windscale?
That is not in order on the Order of Business.
I thought he would answer as he represents a maritime constituency. Do we have to wait until there is radioactive seaweed on Sandymount Strand?
There is machinery in Standing Orders for dealing with business of an urgent nature.
It is a simple question and I am sure the Taoiseach is concerned. Is it not in order to ask a question, through you, of a member of the Government?
No, I am surprised at the Deputy. As I have been saying for 14 months that it is not in order.
Could I ask the Minister for Energy if he has made a decision in favour of a briquette factory in Bally-foran and if he will meet a very large deputation at present outside Dáil Éireann?
That is not in order.
Could I ask the Taoiseach if the students who are imprisoned could be released——
Hear, hear.
The Deputy will have to find another way of raising that matter.
There are young people in jail.
The situation has escalated and is becoming more serious.
The Deputy should look at Standing Orders and then he may find a way in which he could bring this before the House in an orderly way.
Standing Orders should be ignored in this case——
Surely Deputy Fahey is not suggesting that Standing Orders should be ignored and the House brought into chaos?
I am not suggesting there should be chaos but, with the possibility of more students being sentenced, we could quickly reach——
Deputy Fahey will resume his seat, he is being disorderly.
Has the Minister for Justice anything to say?
I wish to raise on the Adjournment the question of the deterioration of our treasures in the National Museum.
I will communicate with Deputy Brady. Deputy H. Byrne to resume on Item No. 6.
The treasures over there are deteriorating rapidly too.
There are some archaeological remains over there.
We have come a long way since the Taoiseach used to run after the students and speak on their platforms.