Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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On a point of order, I get frustrated with Question Time every time I put down questions to the Minister. The Ceann Comhairle is here to protect us and ensure we put down proper questions; we frame the questions to the best of our abilities. I put down a number of priority questions this month and they were all ruled out of order. Minister, you must take responsibility for this. Either you will run your Department or your officials will.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Could Deputy Ring refer his remarks to the Chair rather than directly to the Minister?

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Through the Chair, there is a question here on Axis 4, which is administered by the Department for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. This is funding that comes from Europe to rural communities for fisheries. I have a priority question that was ruled out of order.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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On a point of information——

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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There is no such thing.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Will the Chair allow me to finish?

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Deputy must allow the Chair to respond. The Deputy will take his seat.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I certainly will.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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As the Deputy knows, the Chair has no control over which member of the Government takes responsibility for any question tabled. I understand the Deputy's frustration and if he has any particular queries to which he wants to alert the Ceann Comhairle's office we will examine them and discuss them with the appropriate Department.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I will write to the Ceann Comhairle's office. On drugs, there is no point appointing Ministers of State if I write to the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and am told it is the responsibility of the Departments of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and Health and Children. There is no point in having a Minister of State in the Department who cannot answer the question on drugs.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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We have limited time because there are Private Notice Questions so we will move on to Question No. 1.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Before we take the question——

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I fear the Minister might reignite that debate.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Could the Leas Cheann-Comhairle provide me with a little indulgence on this matter? If I were Deputy Ring I might be disconcerted if I did not understand exactly what happened. The questions were not ruled out of order. There was a question on European fisheries which is the sole——

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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This is not appropriate to Question Time.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Minister administers the scheme.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I do not. That is where Deputy Ring is wrong.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Minister might have a private conversation with the Deputy afterwards. I call Question No. 1.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The two responsible Departments have agreed to answer the Deputy's questions. They have been transferred and will be answered. Deputy Ring knows my views on answering in the House.