Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

The Ceann Comhairle is correct in offering a Private Notice Question and we accept it as valuable, but this issue is too deep to cover in such a constrained amount of time. A private notice question offers only half an hour at maximum, which is less than the usual hour that is frequently allowed on questions like this. On this side of the House there are at least six Deputies with Private Notice Questions and there are serious concerns about issue here.

On an issue vital to Government strategy the assistant secretary of a Department rang the chief executive of Aer Lingus and the airport authority but, we are supposed to believe, no contact was made with the Minister, the most influential individual in determining the direction of Government strategy.

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