Progress during Question Time
The Ceann Comhairle urged Members to keep Question Time businesslike, saying excessive supplementary questions and speeches had limited progress to 13 questions. Burke complained that his priority questions had gone unanswered, while noting that the chair had handled the broader construction-industry issue well.
I appeal to all Members of the House to co-operate in dealing with Question Time in a more businesslike way. Efforts have been made to improve it. It did improve in the beginning but has gone into reverse gear again. We got through only 13 questions today. That generated dissatisfaction and we had the episode we have seen.
Comment on this
I had priority questions down and I did not get them answered. It is an appalling situation. They now die.
Comment on this
When this new system came in we tried to make it work. We disposed of 13 questions today. On another occasion when 12 or 13 questions were disposed of, Deputy Vincent Brady, in a most responsible way, came into the House and complained bitterly about the lack of progress that was being made. I told him I had been doing my best to move on but he said my best was not good enough. As a matter of fact, he said it was up to me to get on with the work. There are far too many supplementary questions and far too many speeches rather than questions. Think it over.