Dáil debates

Thursday, 1 November 2007

3:00 pm

Photo of Michael RingMichael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I have a point of order. I have raised this before and hope I will not have to raise it again. This month I again put a number of questions on drugs to Deputy Carey, and they were transferred to the Department of Health and Children. Does the Deputy have responsibility for drugs or not? Last week I sent in a priority question on Leader and when the Order Paper appeared this morning my priority question was not on it. I want clarification. The Minister must take responsibility. If Deputy Carey does not have responsibility for drugs we had better address questions thereon to the Department of Health and Children. There is no point in my putting down the questions if they are being transferred.

Photo of Charlie O'ConnorCharlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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That is not a point of order for the Chair. The Minister may refer to it in his response.

Photo of Michael RingMichael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Where do I correct the matter? Could the Chairman advise me? I had the same problem last month. A question I tabled to the Minister with responsibility for Leader did not appear on the Order Paper.

Photo of Charlie O'ConnorCharlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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It is not for the Chair to discuss. The Minister may wish to refer to it when answering the first question.

Photo of Michael RingMichael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Who is running the Department? Is it some little official or is it the Minister?

Photo of Éamon Ó CuívÉamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I deal with the questions sent to me.

Photo of Michael RingMichael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I tabled a priority question to Deputy Ó Cuív on the Leader problem and it did not appear on the Order Paper. The questions I put to Deputy Carey were referred to the Department of Health and Children. We had better find out now whether Deputy Carey has responsibility for drugs, and if he has not we will have to give them to our health spokesperson.

Photo of Éamon Ó CuívÉamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I was not aware of the Leader question——

Photo of Michael RingMichael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I will send the information to the Minister tomorrow——

Photo of Éamon Ó CuívÉamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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No, I will ask my Department why it was ruled out of order. It happened to me several times.