Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

With regard to the questions raised in the House, it is perfectly in order for any Deputy to ask on the Order of Business, arising from legislation, whether it is intended to meet a Secretary of State about immigration legislation into the States or wherever else. I am not responsible for the number of questions put down here. In previous times, many questions were lumped together. Everything to do with Europe, the United States and anywhere else around the world, up to 50 questions, could have been put together. However, I have tried, following representations made by Deputies to split the questions into groups. These questions are about the United States and about the Secretary of State and her visit here. If the questions are three months out of date, perhaps we should give a briefer response. However, if these questions have been asked, it is legitimate for us to respond to those put by each Deputy.

As I said a couple of weeks ago, we need to look at further reforms of the way we go about our business in here and consider the amount of time we devote to legitimate questions from Deputies and issues they might want to raise, vociferously or otherwise.

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