Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

The Minister of State in his reply made reference to representations either to the Department of Health and Children or through it, to the parliamentary affairs division of the Health Service Executive, regarding the speed of response to parliamentary questions tabled by Members. I am awaiting replies to parliamentary questions I submitted to that Department in early to mid-June this year, which were referred to the parliamentary affairs division of the HSE, and I have received no response to date. It is now almost six months since the tabling of those questions, and it is incredible that such a time delay could apply.

The bulk of these questions are very important and refer to issues associated with children in care within the State system. I cannot for the life of me understand or accept the parliamentary affairs division's indication that it is progressing the preparation of its responses. Will the Minister of State note that there is a further complication to the effect that the referencing system for parliamentary questions tabled to the Department of Health and Children involves new reference numbers being applied to the parliamentary questions, with the result that one is not able, at first sight, to identify what the question was? I have had a number of exchanges with the division, in trying to expedite responses that I am seeking. That is a somewhat technical issue that might be addressed with some care and attention.

The situation on the matter I raised yesterday with the Taoiseach vis-À-vis the need to introduce legislation - in the area of Dáil reform - to allow for a short but appropriate period of time to elapse before a vacancy occurred in a constituency for a Dáil seat and the by-election is interesting. The Taoiseach's reply yesterday, as before, was to the effect that such by-elections must await the outcome of the Supreme Court appeal, but that is absolute nonsense. That is only to address a specific query as to whether-----

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