I propose to answer Questions Nos. 3 and 16 together.

On a point of order, Question No. 16 was listed as a priority question. Is it in order for the Minister or any other Minister to group a priority question with another question on the Order Paper?

It is.

That is part of the new agreement?

If we had passed from the balloted questions to the priority questions leaving a balloted question unanswered the Minister could also take a priority question and a balloted question together, but in that instance the person who had put down the balloted question could not ask a supplementary. But when these two questions are being taken together, both Deputy Brennan who put down the balloted question and Deputy Collins may ask a supplementary question.

While I readily accept whatever agreement has been entered into by the parties——

It is more than an agreement now, it is an order of the House.

It would not have been if the parties had not agreed to it.

That is correct.

Will the Ceann Comhairle then say how he proposes to allocate the supplementary question time?

I will deal with that when I come to it. Questions Nos. 3 and 16 together.