Dáil debates

Thursday, 24 November 2005

11:00 am

Photo of Rory O'HanlonRory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy Durkan, on a point of order.

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I indicated earlier that I wished to raise an item.

Photo of Rory O'HanlonRory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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That is correct, butthe Deputy is well aware that all my predecessors——

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I am well aware of everything; I have been here all morning. I have never known a precedent whereby a Member wishes to raise an issue on the Order of Business, on promised legislation, to be told that he or she can wait until next week. We cannot operate like that.

Photo of Rory O'HanlonRory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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None of my predecessors allowed the number of questions on the Order of Business that I allow.

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I did not ask any question on the Order of Business but I am entitled to do so if I wish and the Ceann Comhairle is not entitled to rule me out of order and tell me that I will have to wait until next week.

Photo of Rory O'HanlonRory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy, there is a limit to the number of questions allowed on the Order of Business.

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Since when did we set that precedent in this House? If I want to ask a question on the Order of Business that is in order——

Photo of Rory O'HanlonRory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy, that has always been the way. Unfortunately——

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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The Ceann Comhairle will not even listen to what I have to say.

Photo of Bernard AllenBernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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The Ceann Comhairle should listen to the Deputy's point of order.

Photo of Rory O'HanlonRory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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I have allowed more Members to ask questions on the Order of Business than any other Ceann Comhairle in the history of the State.

Photo of Paul Connaughton  SnrPaul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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So what?

Photo of Rory O'HanlonRory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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If Deputy Durkan wants to check that, he will find that it is correct.

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Then I want to register a protest.

Photo of Rory O'HanlonRory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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We have to call a halt to it at some stage and get on with the main business of the House.

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I do not wish to become the victim of the Ceann Comhairle calling a halt.

Photo of Rory O'HanlonRory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy is not becoming a victim. In the last week at least eight Deputies were asked to defer their questions to the next day.

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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That is fine, I have no problem with that. However, I have not known, since I first came into this House, of a situation where a Member was ruled out of order on the basis of a question that was in order, though the Ceann Comhairle had not even heard it and did not wait to hear it——

Photo of Rory O'HanlonRory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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It has nothing to do with the questions. It has to do with the time in the House.

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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The Ceann Comhairle is now telling me that I can raise the question next week. That is the problem. We cannot get answers to questions and when we get the opportunity to ask questions, the Ceann Comhairle rules them out of order. I strongly object to that.

Photo of Rory O'HanlonRory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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I do not rule out questions.

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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The Ceann Comhairle ruled me out.