Suspension of Member.
A Cheann Comhairle, I gave notice——
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I am informed that you disallowed my Private Notice Question——
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I am going to put my point of view and the point of view——
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In view of the Deputy's attitude, I am naming Deputy Cott—I beg your pardon, Deputy Fox.
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I am putting the question:
"That Deputy Fox be suspended from the service of the Dáil."
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The Ceann Comhairle can name me if it suits him——
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I have no intention of leaving the House——
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Surely the Captain cannot be called to remove the Deputy unless there is a Vote of the House?
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I want to know who informed the Ceann Comhairle that this incident took place in the North of Ireland because there is the photograph in the Irish Press showing where the CS gas emerged from.
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On a point of order, with regard to the incident which led to adjournment of the House, would the Leas-Cheann Comhairle please inform the House who named Deputy Fox?
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On a point of order, may I point out that the Taoiseach was not in order in naming Deputy Fox as he did not move——
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That is not in accordance with Standing Orders. Standing Order No. 37 states that a Member desiring to speak shall rise in his place. At no time did the Taoiseach rise in his place.
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On a point of order, surely if a Member is being suspended it should be done by a vote of the House? I understand the position now is that Deputy Fox is being physically stopped from coming into the House, although no vote was taken.
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The motion was put and it was carried. It was not dissented from. I have called Deputy Clinton.
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There is a matter of some importance involved here. I observed that Deputy Fox, wishing to enter this House, was restrained by uniformed members of the force in this House. The ordinary procedure here for the naming of a Deputy is for the Taoiseach, who takes the responsibility for the member of the House concerned, to stand up and do so. This is of the utmost importance to the control of procedure in this House because sometimes it may happen that a Member of the Government alleged to have named a Deputy does so sotto voce so that he is not appearing to do anything and appears to be sitting idly by. In the circumstances this is precisely what happened.
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I raised a point of order as to whether a Member can move a motion while remaining in his seat.
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He did not. The Taoiseach did not move from his seat. He did not stand up to name Deputy Fox.
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On a point of order, Standing Order No. 37 states that a Member desiring to speak shall rise in his place——
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I am asking the Chair to rule on whether the motion to suspend Deputy Fox was properly moved in accordance with Standing Orders.
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I am not going back on any decision taken by the Ceann Comhairle. So far as the Ceann Comhairle is concerned, his decision has been taken and I am now calling on Deputy Clinton.
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We want to know the truth. The Taoiseach a few minutes ago said the Leas-Cheann Comhairle named Deputy Fox, that he did not. Does the Taoiseach deny that he said that coming in?
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There you are. The Taoiseach admits he said you named Deputy Fox. The Ceann Comhairle said he named him. Who named him?
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Because we are not selling out this country to England or to anyone else as Fianna Fáil are doing. Fianna Fáil are selling out to Health and Faulkner. We do not stand for what the IRA are doing. We stand by this country and we stand for the good of this country.
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Order, order. Would Deputy L'Estrange please resume his seat. I have called on Deputy Clinton.
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The Taoiseach never got up to do it. Not only is he standing idly by, he is sitting——
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On a point of order, it was said a few moments ago that the Ceann Comhairle had given a ruling and that you did not intend to reopen the matter. Are we to take this to mean that there is no way, if the Leas-Cheann Comhairle does something that is not in accordance with Standing Orders, that the matter can be raised?
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There is a method of dealing with either the Ceann Comhairle or the Leas-Cheann Comhairle, and the Deputy is aware of that.
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That is a vote of censure motion that would remain on the Order Paper for a long time.
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Is the Chair giving us to understand that, apart from the method he has indicated, there is no other mechanism by which an action that is judged to be incorrect by a large number of Deputies who have not an axe to grind in this matter, is incapable of——
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The Deputy will appreciate that the matter has been decided and it cannot be reopened in this fashion.
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Is it not a fact that the matter can only be decided if it is correctly put, and that you have been unable to indicate that the Taoiseach complied with Standing Orders when he put the matter? Is it not clear that the naming of Deputy Fox was not in order and that if you, sir, continue to uphold this action, you will be in violation of the Rules of the House?
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Can the Chair state that this is in conformity with the Standing Order which has been read out?