asked the Minister for Education if he will sanction a transport service to Kilcorney national school, Mallow, County Cork.

An application for a transport service to Kilcorney national school has been received in the Department from the board of management of the school. In order to warrant the establishment of a service to a national school under the terms of the free transport scheme there must be a sufficient number of eligible children in a distinct locality who are attending or propose to attend their nearest national school to ensure that the average daily number of eligible children being conveyed each term shall not be less than ten. The application received from the board of management of Kilcorney national school has been investigated and it would appear that there is not a sufficient number of eligible children in a distinct locality to warrant the establishment of a service. In the circumstances the Department have no option under the terms of the scheme but to refuse the application.

At the end of Question Time yesterday I gave notice of my intention to raise on the Adjournment the subject matter of Questions Nos. 8 and 9 of 7th April last which concerned the serious strike by the fire brigade in Galway. Subsequently I was informed by your office, Sir, that I would have the opportunity of discussing the matter when the Local Government Estimate was taken today. It is obvious that this Estimate will not be taken today. In these circumstances I contend that I have been denied the opportunity of raising this very serious issue which affects the population not only of my constituency but of County Galway generally.

The Chair understands that the Estimate referred to will be before the House next week when the Deputy will have an opportunity of raising this issue.

Is the Chair sure that the Estimate providing the opportunity to discuss this question will be taken next week?

The Chair can never be sure of anything.

How, then, can the Chair deny me the right to raise the matter on the Adjournment?

There is no provision for an Adjournment debate this evening so the Deputy will have to wait until next week to raise the matter again.

As a Deputy anxious to raise a matter of serious public importance, I am being denied such opportunity.

The Chair understands that the Estimate for the Department of Local Government will be before the House next week. We cannot anticipate further than that.

The anticipation was that this Estimate would be before the House today.

Is it not the position that a whole series of Estimates will be before the House next week, leaving very little time to discuss any of them?

The Chair cannot anticipate what will happen next week.