Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The point made by Deputy Shortall is disappointing and I do not accept her final comment. I am not treating the House like anything. I have come into the House week after week to speak with all Deputies in good faith, to engage with questions and answers and I am offering to do so. The order of the House was not arranged by me but by the Business Committee and I have come here as requested to go through statements. I have offered multiple alternatives to that, as I recognise that Deputies have an important job to do, including to have a question-and-answer session at the next possibility, as well as informal briefings - to answer Deputy Cullinane's point - to try to get the answers for the Deputies as quickly as possible. I categorically do not accept that the House is being treated with anything other than respect by me by coming here as arranged by the Business Committee to make statements. I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach.

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