Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)

I have had a similar experience. I have received no reply to a question put down on 25 January. The question sought to ascertain the people who are involved in advising the Minister as spin doctors, consultants or media advisers. I do not expect to receive a reply. Interestingly, I put down a question about Naas Hospital around the same time and I was told in the reply that the question was being referred to the parliamentary section of the HSE. However, I got a reply yesterday which stated:

The executive has responsibility for considering new capital proposals or progressing those in the health capital programme. Accordingly, my Department is requesting the parliamentary affairs division of the executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and a reply will issue to the Deputy in due course.

A Leas-Cheann Comhairle, as a long-standing Member of the House, you know that the responsibility rests with the Minister, not with the Health Service Executive, spin doctors or advisers. It rests with nobody other than the person to whom the moneys are voted by this House. I strongly protest at the way the House is being abused.

Two days ago, I put down a question to three Ministers — the Minister for Health and Children, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Minister for Education and Children — about a serious urgent matter relating to two children who were absent without leave from school and from home. The Ministers for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and Education and Science transferred the questions to the Minister for Health and Children, which means I will never get an answer to my question. This is a serious matter; it could affect the health and safety of the children concerned.

The crowd of goons on the Government benches might think it very funny but this is an abuse of the parliamentary system. Incidentally, I will be coming after the Minister, Deputy Noel Dempsey, shortly about the Dingle programme.

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