asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí dismissed from the force during the period between Commissioner Garvey's purported dismissal and his voluntary resignation.

19.

asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí who were suspended from duty during the period between Commissioner Garvey's purported dismissal and his voluntary resignation.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 19 together.

The Garda authorities inform me that during the period mentioned, two gardaí were dismissed from the force; three were allowed to resign as an alternative to dismissal and the dismissal of six others was ordered. In addition, two recruit gardaí were discharged and four resigned before the order for their discharge came into effect.

I am also informed that a total of 18 members were suspended from duty, or had their period of suspension extended, during the period in question.

What is the position of the 18 members who had their services suspended?

That is a question I am not prepared to answer because it is a question of interpretation of law. I am not prepared, in the context of replying to a Parliamentary Question, to give legal advice to anybody.

Are those men still on half pay when suspended?

I do not know.

Is the Minister serious when he says that he does not know that when a garda is suspended he is on half pay?

The Deputy is asking for specific detail and I do not have that information but, if the Deputy wishes, I will get it for him.

Surely the least we can expect from the Minister is that he would know what happens when a garda is suspended? Has the Minister been in that office three years? He has been in office for three years and he does not know that a garda on suspension is on half pay.

Deputy Harte must permit the House to move on to the next question. If the Deputy is not prepared to allow questions to continue there is little use in us staying here.

There are 18 human beings involved and they do not know whether they are gardaí or not.

The Deputy should resume his seat. I am calling the next question.

I am not particularly concerned about Standing Orders when there are 18 members suspended.

There is no order when Deputy Harte comes into the House. The Deputy should resume his seat.

I am anxious to ask the Minister if he is concerned about the position of 18 men who at present do not know whether they are members of the Garda Síochána or not.

The Chair has asked the Deputy to resume his seat.

I will communicate with the Deputy.

We could have got that answer some time ago without the Chair interrupting.

If Deputy Harte did not frustrate Question Time we would get along well.

That is a very improper remark for the Chair. The Chair has been making that type of remark all afternoon and it ill becomes the Chair.

It ill becomes Deputy Keating to interfere with the rulings of the Chair. Deputy Keating is the one Member who will not respect a request of the Chair. We must move on to the next question.

On a point of order, is it proper for the Chair to make gratuitous remarks about individual Members in the House?

The Chair does not make that type of remark about anybody. The Chair has been appealing to and begging Deputies all afternoon to ask supplementaries properly so that Question Time can be run correctly but the Chair has not received co-operation. In that case what do Members expect the Chair to do?

Not to abuse Members. The Chair has no right to do that.

We expect the Chair to keep order.

Deputy Keating abuses the rulings of the Chair all the time and will not obey them.

I will not take personal abuse from the Chair or anybody else.

20.