asked the Minister for Justice if he will make a detailed statement in relation to his decision to refuse an entry permit to two young people (details supplied) who wish to pursue second level education in Ireland.

26.

asked the Minister for Justice if he will make a detailed statement on his reasons for the refusal of an entry permit to a young person (details supplied) who wished to enter this country from Botswana to pursue second level education.

27.

asked the Minister for Justice if a French citizen (details supplied) will be given a full residence permit to reside in this country; if so, when the permit will be issued; if this person has in the past been refused a residence permit either on a temporary or permanent basis; and if so, if he will give the reasons for the refusal.

: With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to take Questions Nos. 25, 26, and 27 together.

It would be contrary to long-established practice to divulge to third parties information relating to decisions made under the Aliens Act in regard to individual aliens.

: In view of this administration's callous disregard for long-standing practices of any kind, in relation to Question No. 25 will the Minister of State indicate to the House if the Department of Justice, for which he has responsibility in this House, without question and without criticism carried out the instructions of the British Home Office?

: The Department of Justice were in some doubt regarding the genuineness of the people concerned of their intention to stay in Ireland having regard to information known to the Department.

: From where?

: Do I understand the Minister of State to mean that because these people might not have stayed a long time they were not allowed to stay at all?

: They had made arrangements for acceptance to educational courses here but since both people had close relatives resident in England and their purpose in arriving in England was to stay with these relatives, the genuineness of their intention was in doubt here.

: Therefore, is it reasonable to assume that the Department of Justice were acting on behalf of and at the behest of the British Home Office?

: The Department of Justice deal with their own affairs.

: Am I correct in interpreting the Minister's reply to mean that they were not given a permit because they might not stay? Is that the Alice in Wonderland logic?

: That is not the question.

: The answer was to that effect.

: We were not satisfied with the genuineness of their intentions, having regard to information known to the Department.

: They intended to take up a course at a school in my constituency. Was there any direct communication between the Minister's Department and the Home Office in London as a result of representations made at the time? Were people other than civil servants involved? Did the Minister for Justice or the Minister of State contact the Home Office in relation to this case?

: There are several questions involved which I will be prepared to answer if they are tabled.

: I have asked for the details surrounding this matter. I have asked whether there were communications between the Department of Justice and the Home Office and whether such communications involved the Minister of State or the senior Minister.

: That is a separate question.

: I would ask the Ceann Comhairle to rule on this.

: I am not responsible for the Minister's replies.

: Am I right in assuming that you are the person responsible for deciding whether a question is or is not a separate question?

: I am not responsible for the Minister's replies.

: On a point of order, a Minister may decline to answer a question if he has not the guts to do so and wants to duck it but he cannot pretend to be referee and say it is a separate question. That is for the Ceann Comhairle to decide.

: That is not a point of order. The situation is that I have no responsibility for the replies of the Minister. That is final.

: Surely the Chair has the responsibility of deciding what is a separate question.

: The Minister is responsible for his own replies and I do not bear any responsibility.

: Will the Minister be good enough to let us know whence came the information on which he based his decision, that is, the information which apparently raised doubts in his mind about the integrity of the request to stay? How was that information obtained?

: It is not the established practice to divulge third party information relating to decisions like this.

: The Minister's silence speaks volumes.

: It is loud enough to be heard.

: I wonder if it has been heard in Donegal that the Minister is running around for the Home Office.

: Question No. 28.