It is proposed to take item No. 18.

Yesterday morning in this House I raised a problem affecting Carrigaline cable television. While I was doing so it appears that agents, at the behest of the Minister for Communications——

That does not arise in this way, Deputy.

——were seizing equipment that put Carrigaline community television project off the air.

Has the Deputy a request to make?

I have a request to make, Sir, in the interests of the people who are prevented, because of a geographical accident, from having the same television facility as the people in Dublin because of the activities of a profit-making concern in that area.

I would remind Deputy Fitzgerald that he is out of order.

May I raise on the Adjournment, Sir, the favouritism being meted out by the Minister for Communications——

You cannot make a speech, now, Deputy. I will communicate with the Deputy.

I want specifically to raise the discriminating treatment being meted out by the Minister for Communications in the Carrigaline area for personal reasons.

An allegation has been made by Deputy Gene Fitzgerald which should be withdrawn. It is totally without foundation.

He was completely out of order and I told him that.

A Cheann Comhairle, I wonder could you tell me if I will be in a position to contribute to the important debate before the House this week?

The Chair will call speakers during the remainder of the debate in a manner which he will regard as fair and equitable as between party and party and as between Deputies.

Deputies on all sides are being gagged because of Fianna Fáil's reluctance to allow people to speak their minds in this House.

Order, please.

The young man from Cork, how is he going?

A Cheann Comhairle, I wonder would——

Deputy Harney, I have answered your question.

A Cheann Comhairle, may I ask you to bear in mind the fact that I was elected to this House by the people of Dublin South West——

The Deputy may not make a speech in this way.

——and the point of view I have is not represented on this side of the House. I want you to bear that in mind when you are considering allowing me to speak.

I will do that.

A Cheann Comhairle, Deputy Allen made some accusation about Deputies——

I will make that quite clear.

Deputy Allen will resume his seat. I am calling on Deputy Lyons to resume on item No. 18.

The Deputy and his own party stopped Members on this side of the House.

I am calling on Deputy Lyons.

It is an interesting accusation that Fianna Fáil can gag Fine Gael Deputies.

Order, please.

As the Leader of the Opposition has seen fit to intervene — I do not wish to be contentious——

I have called a speaker.

What has happened has been that the normal practice we have accorded of allowing Deputies on the other side of the House to split their time has been refused by Fianna Fáil, depriving a large number of our Deputies of a chance to speak.

They want to represent us also and gag us. This is disgraceful.

I am calling on Deputy Lyons.

There is no wish whatever to gag people opposite.

I am calling on Deputy Lyons on item No. 18.

Will the party opposite allow us to share our time? They refused to do it.

What Fine Gael do with their own time is their own business.

The Leader of the Opposition has just said that what we do with our own time is our own affair. I take it he is now agreeing to time-sharing on our side and that we can proceed accordingly. Is that right?

The Chair is operating under an order of the House which was made on Tuesday for the conduct of this debate. In regard to time-sharing a practice crept in here during recent times of splitting time. It was usually done by an order of the House. It was sometimes done informally. I have now decided that, as from now, there will be no more time sharing unless it is done under an order of the House before the debate begins. Otherwise the Chair will proceed in accordance with the Standing Order.

On the Order of Business, before I move to item No. 18, I want to raise the serious situation arising in Mallow with the threatened closure of Erin Foods. I am making a request that I be allowed raise the matter on the Adjournment.

I will communicate with the Deputy.

I am not trying to be awkward but I want to ask the Minister for Justice in an orderly way if there is any connection between a report that the Swiss Federal Supreme Court has ordered the banks there to disclose IRA funds and——

The Deputy is out of order and he will resume his seat. I would ask Deputy Lyons to resume on item No. 18.