Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

I was the Member the Ceann Comhairle intended calling next before the suspension. When the Ceann Comhairle responded to Deputy Jan O'Sullivan that there were options to establish the information she and we collectively seek, he referred to parliamentary questions. On one day this week, I received six replies from the office of the Minister for Health and Children. Each brief reply states:

I regret that due to industrial action I am not in a position to provide a substantive response to your Parliamentary Question. If this matter remains of continuing concern to you, however, I would invite you to raise it with me again in due course.

It is the responsibility of the Minister to respond. All Ministers have a responsibility to respond to Deputies' questions. A work to rule does not excuse that responsibility. Some other means and mechanism must be found to ensure the critical information required on behalf of constituents and community interest groups can continue to be fed.

This set of responses differs from the approach of other Ministers. On the same day I received these answers, I received answers from the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, who indicated in his reply that as soon as he was in a position to do so he would get back to me on the matter. There is a stark difference between the two. The Minister for Health and Children is putting the onus and responsibility on me to reinitiate my questions at some point in the future. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has quite rightly, as a holding position, indicated he will revisit the question when the information flow resumes. This is indicative of everything we have been saying about the Minister for Health and Children. It is a "wash your hands" situation and nothing exemplifies it more than her approach in respect of replies to Members. Against the background of scandal on top of scandal and crisis on top of crisis-----

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