Seanad debates
Wednesday, 15 November 2017
Health Services: Statements (Resumed)
10:30 am
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source
The Minister of State will respond. While she is gathering her thoughts, this is something we might look at in the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. I noted on the monitor that the Minister of State, Deputy Daly, spoke for 35 minutes. That is probably his entitlement but several Members are confined to either eight or five minutes. Then the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, has only five minutes to respond. We should look at the possibility of greater time to respond to the queries of the Senators. That used to happen under the last Government and probably the one before that, when I was Leas-Chathaoirleach. It is not your fault, Minister of State, but it something we should look at. When Members call for a debate on an issue and raise pertinent questions, then the Minster who responds should be in a position to respond. I am not saying it is your fault, Minister of State. It is a general problem that I see and we should look at it for future debates. You have five minutes to answer many questions. You were probably not here to deal with some of them but ar aghaidh leat.
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