Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I will ask the Ceann Comhairle a question but he might not be able to answer it. He has a responsibility to the House. When we table parliamentary questions, sometimes he refers them elsewhere. As Chair of the House, he does a good job and he is very fair and honest but I believe he should have a role so that when questions are tabled, for example, to the Minister for Health and Children, and a reply is not received his office can take that up. Deputy Stagg is right and I have been saying this for 15 years. The problem is Ministers think "Morning Ireland" is more important than this House. All legislation should not be published first thing on "Morning Ireland". It should be published in this House and a Minister who does not publish legislation in the House should be sanctioned. That is one reform I would like.

It is outrageous what Fianna Fáil and its partners in government have done over the past 15 years regarding the HSE, the National Roads Authority and local authorities. In debates on every Bill that has come into the House, I have been the very one who asked that responsibility remain with the Minister. I saw the Minister for Health and Children rubbing her hands the day that the HSE - the greatest monster that was ever created in this State - was established. Is it not a sad thing that I cannot write to the Ceann Comhairle and I have to write to the Ombudsman to get replies from local authorities and health boards? I am elected to the House and Ministers will not answer me. Whatever about parliamentary questions, I have copies of letters in my office for six months that were written to the Ministers for Education and Skills and Health and Children. People are dead when I get the replies and that is not acceptable.

Can the Minister of State, as Chief Whip, not instruct his Cabinet colleagues to at least answer Members of this House in regard to correspondence? The media say a parliamentary question costs €250. I do not know how it can cost €250 when I get a reply stating "no responsibility". If that costs €250, it is no wonder the country is in the state it is in.

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