asked the Minister for Finance if he will make the plans of the proposed new pier for Inishbofin, Connemara, County Galway, available to enable islanders to inspect them.

It would be premature at this stage to make public plans for a new pier on Inishbofin.

Would the Minister agree that it is necessary that the proposed plans for the new pier for Inishboffin which have been prepared for the last three years be shown to the islanders to enable them to have an input into the type of pier being designed, so that they can satisfy themselves that what is proposed by Dublin engineers will satisfy the needs of the island? Would the Minister not agree that it is most unreasonable to withhold the viewing of the plans from the people for whom the pier is planned to be built?

I am not being unreasonable in doing that. The design at the stage to which the work has been taken so far, has as far as possible taken account of the conditions and the needs of the island.

This is most unreasonable and most people will agree with me. It is ridiculous that people in an office in Dublin are designing a pier to meet the needs of islanders on a remote island off the west coast, that they are not being shown what is being designed to meet their needs and that they are not being given the opportunity to comment on whether or not the pier as proposed is suitable for their needs. This is a new departure. On other occasions when piers were being designed, local people were deliberately consulted by the Government in office to know if what was designed was satisfactory, and major changes were made following comments from the local people, drawing from their experience.

Question No. 2.

I want to know if the Minister will change his mind.

I can only repeat the answer. I fully appreciate what Deputy Molloy has said but in my view it would be premature at this stage.

The Minister has a reputation for standing up and going through a formula of words, expecting everybody to accept it as gospel——

The Deputy is not asking a question now and he did not ask a question the last time. The Deputy made a statement.

I am asking the Minister to make plans available to enable the islanders to examine what is proposed here. This is a remote island where the people are still using the facilities of Long John Silver. They have to row their goods and passengers to the shore in all weathers——

That is not a question.

——and the plans have been ready for this pier for the last three years.

Question No. 2.

Is not that so, Minister?

Question No. 2.

I am very annoyed about this——

I cannot——

——and I have failed, through reasonable representations through the Office of Public Works, the Ministers and to the——

Deputy Molloy, please. The Deputy asked a question and got an answer, perhaps not the answer he would like, but there is nothing the Chair can do about it.

I would appeal to the Minister——

But you cannot do it in this way.

I hope the Minister will give a satisfactory explanation as to why he is adopting this attitude.

I am bound by procedure for Question Time and the Deputy is breaching it.

Is it true that the reason the Minister does not want the islanders to see the plans is that it might raise their expectations and they might expect the Department to provide the money to build the pier?

That is argument.

It is a question, not an argument.

It is argumentative. I am following Standing Orders.

Is that the reason?

It is argument.

That is not the reason.

Is the Minister aware——

I am calling Question No. 2 and the Minister will answer it.

A Cheann Comhairle, I want to ask the Minister a question.

I am calling Question No. 2.

I am in control.

These people have nobody else to speak for them. They are——

Deputy Molloy will resume his seat.

This has been delayed for three years.

Deputy Molloy will resume his seat or I will have to invoke Standing Orders.

Can you give me one second? The Minister has said that what I have said is not so. I have said exactly——

I have asked the Minister to answer Question No. 2, please.

I was told by officials in the Office of Public Works——

Deputy Molloy will resume his seat. Deputy Molloy is leaving me no alternative. Deputy Molloy will leave the House.

There is no fear——

I am calling the Minister to name Deputy Molloy. I have named Deputy Molloy and I call on the Minister to move his suspension.

I will now be thrown out because I am trying to fight for the rights of the depressed people in Galway——

A Cheann Comhairle——

All you can do now is throw me out of the House because the Minister cannot give a satisfactory answer——

I hope it is not disorderly——

Either I am in control of Question Time or I am not——

I hope I am not being disorderly——

I beg your pardon?

If the Deputy will stop talking for a minute he might hear. I hope I am not being disorderly in saying that I fully appreciate the Deputy's concern which I share. I have given the Deputy the answer to his question. The Deputy has no need to make a scene in the House to show his concern or to do anything to increase my concern about the matter, but the answer is as I have given it to the Deputy. I hope——

The Minister has sat on those plans for three years.

Is Deputy Molloy going?

Will the Minister please move the suspension of Deputy Molloy? I am either in control here, or I am not.

I beg your pardon?

I have asked the Minister to move the suspension of Deputy Molloy.

You could not possibly——

I am doing it.