Business will be taken in the following order: Nos. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7. If not already reached it is proposed to interrupt business at 2 p.m. to take No. 7 and when that is completed to resume the order. Questions will be taken at 3 p.m.

With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I would like to raise a matter which I think is a point of order and certainly is one which is of importance to the members of this House. I put down some questions yesterday and to-day relating to unemployment. In particular I put down a question to the Taoiseach which is on to-day's Order Paper, No. 27, asking whether the Government has made, or caused to be made, an assessment of the causes of the steep rise in unemployment. That question and some other questions have all been transferred to the Minister for Finance. May I ask you, Sir, whether it is part of the functions of the Minister for Finance to deal with Government policy and unemployment?

The Minister who is assumed to be responsible replies. The Chair has no function in the matter beyond that.

May I ask the Taoiseach, through you, whether all questions relating to unemployment are in future to be addressed to the Minister for Finance?

That seems to be drawing in a very wide matter.

Is it not a fact that questions on Government policy are replied to by the Taoiseach?

There is departmental policy as well as governmental policy. The Taoiseach is responsible for general governmental policy, one might call it blanket overall policy, but there are departmental policies as well. The Chair has no function in the matter.

Surely the question of an assessment as to the causes of unemployment is a matter which relates to governmental policy as a whole and the Taoiseach's Department in particular?

The function of the Chair is to get a reply to parliamentary questions, that is all he can do in the matter.