asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether there have been any discussions with the British Government to set up a parliamentary tier.
Ceisteanna—Questions Oral Answers - Parliamentary Tier.
17.
At their meeting on 6 November 1981 the Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister agreed that it would be for the Irish and British Parliaments to consider at an appropriate time whether there should be an Anglo-Irish body at parliamentary level. The question of a parliamentary tier, therefore, remains for decision.
As the Deputy will be aware, the four main constitutional nationalist parties in the New Ireland Forum Report have examined in detail possible structures that would lead to the creation of peace and stability in this island. That report in its entirety has been presented to the British Government and a substantive response from them is now awaited. Until such a response is received it is not my intention to comment on any informal discussions which have taken place between the two Governments on the report.
Would the Minister say whether the Government have made it very clear to the British authorities that if a parliamentary tier is to serve any useful purpose then it must be more than a mere parliamentary social club?
Any indication to the British Government along the lines suggested by the Deputy would be a matter for much later. It would not be now that I would be making that suggestion. It would be after we have their response to the New Ireland Forum Report.
I would like to ask you, Sir, the reason you ruled out my Private Notice Question on the bacon curing strike. The message I got was that the Chair did not consider it to be of an urgent nature. I ask the Chair is he with the people at all or does he know what is happening in the world around him? A very serious situation is arising. Never before have we seen anything like it.
The Deputy should withdraw that attack on the Chair immediately.
Will the Chair qualify that?
The Deputy made an attack as to what the Chair did or did not understand and whether the Chair was in touch or out of touch with the world. The Deputy should not make political attacks on the Chair and I ask him to withdraw that statement.
I withdraw it.
I had my name to two Private Notice Questions relating to the bacon industry, the strike in which is costing about £1.6 million per week to the nation. The danger is that the Danish imports may take over. I should like to know why the Chair ruled those questions out of order.
Firstly, the Chair's ruling cannot be questioned in the House. Secondly, I ruled on a number of Private Notice Questions today, in accordance with Standing Orders and precedent that these questions did not meet the criteria laid down for Standing Orders. My Private Secretary contacted the Deputies concerned and conveyed the reasons why the questions were ruled out of order to the Deputies. If the Deputies are not satisfied with that explanation they are welcome to come to my office to discuss the matter. If they are shy about coming to my office I will meet them anywhere else in the House that might be more congenial or convenient.
I wish to raise the subject matter of my Private Notice Question on the Adjournment because it is a serious matter.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
I added my name to the Private Notice Questions and I would like to ask why they were refused.
The same answer applies.
But Kerry is different.
Supplementary welfare benefits have not been paid——
The Deputy cannot raise this matter in that way.
I hope the Chair will give favourable consideration to the request to have this matter raised on the Adjournment.
You want to kill the bacon industry the same way as the horticultural industry has been killed and we will have foreign imports all over the place.
I should like clarification of the position in regard to why the Private Notice Question I tabled concerning the involvement of our national Army in divisive celebrations was ruled out?
I have given a general answer to those questions.
This matter is very urgent and important because the Army are supposed to be involved in these celebrations on 11 November.
I have given a general answer and I am not going to repeat it. I ask the Deputy to resume his seat.
Because of the amount of conflict about the whole position can we have some clarification?
I have given a general answer to all the questions put down today and I am not going to say anything further.
With the permission of the Chair, I should like to raise on the Adjournment the subject of Slane Bridge which was dealt with in the course of a question to the Minister to the Environment today.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
I should like to raise on the Adjournment the question of delays in the offices of the Revenue Commissioners and what they mean in terms of lost revenue to the Exchequer.
I will communicate with the Deputy. The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.