James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

-----and try to investigate or get some information, we are advised by the Ceann Comhairle that there is another route, which is to table a parliamentary question. Often these parliamentary questions are not answered by the Minister but sent off down the line, and in my case usually to the HSE. However, today we reach a new low in the democracy and the running of this Parliament which really makes one wonder if we are in the dying days of a banana republic.

I submitted a question to the Minister for Health and Children for discussion and answer this afternoon and the General Office edited it. I have no problem with editing in consultation. However, the first line of my question relates to people waiting on trolleys in accident and emergency departments which reached an unprecedented high of 569 in January 2011. In their wisdom, they have removed those figures, which changes the nature of the question and denies the right to put that on the public record.

That is utterly unacceptable. I ask that the Ceann Comhairle insist and instruct-----

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