Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)

In fact, there were signs of genuine regret in that each letter was prefaced with the words "I regret". I can understand the genuine regret in the tone of the letters, which referred to parliamentary questions. Previously, such questions were answered by Ministers in this House. The questions refer specifically to the Minister for Transport. One concerned a train that went to Limerick with one passenger on board and which obviously had no communications system to make contact with the driver. Another of my questions concerned long delays in rail services. The reply stated that "the Minister has no official responsibility to Dáil Éireann for these matters, which are ones for Iarnród Éireann".

I remind the Minister that when tragic accidents occurred in the transport sector over the last couple of years, the Minister for Transport was the person who attended this House to deal with those unfortunate matters. I reject the practice that is now creeping in to our procedures whereby Ministers duck, bob and weave in order to escape answering questions, for which the Ceann Comhairle knows full well they are responsible. I want to put it on record that this will no longer be tolerated. If this ministerial contempt for the Opposition continues, by avoiding parliamentary questions, then other means will have to be found to deal with it.

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