Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

I refer to the issue raised by my colleague, Deputy Durkan. Every day the Ceann Comhairle's office issues a sackful of letters to Members, three of which landed on my desk earlier from the Ministers for Health and Children, Justice, Equality and Law Reform and Transport indicating a total abdication of responsibility on their part. I seek the Ceann Comhairle's guidance. Where can we obtain the information if it is not forthcoming from the Minister in charge, especially having regard to the time honoured tradition of Minister's questions? For example, I asked about the number of people who have received custodial sentences for failure to pay a civil debt; the steps the Minister for Transport will take to relieve waiting lists for driving tests in Portlaoise, a perfectly justifiable and reasonable question for a Deputy to ask; the number of special exemption orders granted by the courts to publications; the number of persons serving life imprisonment; and the average terms of custody for those serving a life sentence. I do not know nor have I way of finding out. Will the Ceann Comhairle's office consider contacting the quangos that have been given responsibility for dealing with these issues? Rather than sending letters directly to Deputies, a system might be set in train to allow for the reply to be forthcoming if the relevant Minister is not prepared to come into the House.

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