asked the Taoiseach if he has had any discussions on Northern Ireland with Mrs. Thatcher at the Brussels meeting of Heads of Government; and, if so, if anything positive was achieved thereby.

I will be dealing with the matter in the statement which I will be making in the Dáil on the European Council Meeting.

Would the Taoiseach agree that in respect of such meetings at a Summit he should report to the Dáil as soon as possible after the meetings and that this would be much more satisfactory from everyone's point of view, including his own?

I would agree and I shall always endeavour to do that, but on this occasion we are faced with very serious time constraints. There is only a very short amount of time available to us to discuss the Rent Restrictions Bill. In deference to the Opposition leaders, who would almost certainly wish to contribute to a debate about the Summit, I decided to leave the making of a statement until after Easter. To do so before then would be to eat very seriously into the time of the Rent Restrictions Bill.

But the Taoiseach accepts the advisibility of reporting early to the House?

Yes, and I might add that I mentioned to the Whips that, in advance of my statement to the Dáil, I would endeavour to have as much documentation as possible supplied to the Opposition Deputies.

Am I to understand that the position will be that the Taoiseach and the leaders of the Opposition will make statements but that there can be no question on the matter?

Standing Order No. 38 provides for the Taoiseach to make a statement and that a statement be made by a speaker to be nominated by a party in opposition.

I accept that as being the normal procedure, but it does not allow for supplementary questions?

That is so.

The point I am making is that there is a Dáil question tabled in regard to the meeting but that because of the way in which the reply is framed I shall not now be able to ask supplementary questions on it.

The Taoiseach had indicated that he will be making a statement on the matter.

In approximately five week's time.

Surely Deputy O'Keeffe is entitled to ask a supplementary question on the question being tabled. That is what he is endeavouring to do.

I have not debarred him from asking a supplementary.

That is helpful. Bearing in mind that the Taoiseach intends making a statement on the matter, can he indicate to the House now the extent of the discussions he had with Mrs. Thatcher on the Northern Ireland issue and whether anything positive was achieved in those discussions?

The discussions, of necessity, were very short and informal. A number of matters of mutual concern, including the question of Northern Ireland, were mentioned but, I must say, mentioned briefly.

Did the Taoiseach indicate a view to Mrs. Thatcher in regard to the Prior plan and, if so, what was her reaction?

The Deputy will appreciate that it is not customary to disclose details of conversations of this type.

I fear we are in a cul de sac. The procedure of the House leaves us in difficulty in pursuing matters of this kind. Could I ask the Taoiseach whether he can throw any light on the extraordinary use by the British Prime Minister of a term which ceased to have any validity over 20 years before she went into politics, the Irish Free State, which is alleged in several newspapers to have been used by her with great deliberation? Can he throw any light on why this term should have been resurrected by her at this time?

Like the Deputy I was a bit mystified about that report. I am making urgent inquiries into it. I know the Deputy will agree with me when I say I hope it was an inadvertent reference.

I hope so.

If it did actually occur, I would hope that it was an inadvertent reference.