Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

A Cheann Comhairle, I am aware that your office has no responsibility for the replies given by Ministers to parliamentary questions but, as Ceann Comhairle, you have a responsibility to protect our rights, and one of the fundamental rights of an Opposition Deputy is to hold the Government to account. What do we do when the Minister for Education and Science gives answers to questions which, if given in the junior or leaving certificate examinations, would be marked as a massive failure because she avoids or refuses to answer them?

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