John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this issue. While I am grateful that the Minister of State, Deputy Cannon, is here, I ask him to express my serious disappointment to the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Madigan, at her non-attendance. It is not often that the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is called on for Topical Issues. If she had sent word to me that she was unavailable, I would have happily deferred the matter as it is an issue of significant gravity.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Is the Minister of State attached to that Department?

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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If the Minister of State is not attached to the Department, the Minister should have informed Deputy Lahart that she was not available. As she has not, we can reschedule the matter if Deputy Lahart wishes.

John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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If it could be rescheduled within the current week.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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We will attempt to do that. As I understand it, the procedure is that if the responsible Minister informs the Deputy raising a Topical Issue that he or she is not available to deal with it, that Minister may assign it to a Minister of State with responsibility within his or her Department. However, it cannot be assigned to someone who does not have responsibility without the agreement of the Deputy raising the issue.

John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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The matter is one of significance for the constituency of Dublin South-West, in particular the Scholarstown area, and I would like the Minister to respond in person.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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We will try to reschedule for tomorrow. That gives us additional time to move to the third matter on which four Deputies are offering. The matter was listed by Deputies Alan Kelly, Jackie Cahill and Mattie McGrath and they have now been joined by Deputy Michael Lowry.