I appeal to you, a Cheann Comhairle, to allow me to raise the Private Notice Question of which we gave notice to you. It concerns 350 jobs in Kildare and they are in imminent danger of being lost.

Please give way to the Chair. In acordance with Standing Orders I ruled this question out of order. The reason for doing so was conveyed to the Deputies by my private secretary and I am not going to allow a discussion on the question now. But, as somebody once said, suffice it to say that I have rarely come across a question which clearly does not qualify for Private Notice.

This reinforces the opinion of people in the outside world that this House is increasingly becoming divorced from everyday life. I am talking about the lives and work of 350 people in Kildare who are going to lose their jobs.

Order please.

I have never taken up your time before.

You will not take much of it now.

If we represent people we are entitled to raise this matter. There are 350 people about to lose their jobs.

Will the Deputy please resume his seat? He must resume his seat. I did not want to say this but——

I want to say a word.

Will the Deputy please resume his seat? I ruled a similar question on the same topic out of order on 7 May and this is put in today.

It is not my business what you do to somebody else. I am here to represent people who are going to lose their jobs. This is a matter that should be aired and I feel that the Chair has a duty to allow it to be aired in this House.

The Deputy should read Standing Orders.

I do not worry too much about Standing Orders, a Cheann Comhairle. But I do feel——

The Deputy will resume his seat.

——that these 350 people have been in their jobs for 28 years and, for the first time ever — we did not impose on your time when we felt there was any opportunity of saving these jobs.

There is a vote coming on tonight and I do not want to deprive the Deputy of voting. But if he does not resume his seat I will have to invoke Standing Orders.

Do you feel in your heart and soul that you made the right decision in this matter?

The Deputy is leaving the Chair no option. If the Deputy does not resume his seat I will have to order him to leave the House.

A Cheann Comhairle, I want to say a word on it.

I am not going to have an argument.

Just hold on a moment. I represent the public. I came here and I represent the public, and I represent the people of Laois-Offaly and, do you know what you are saying to me——

I am ordering Deputy Connolly to leave the House.

We cannot raise any issue in the House.

The Deputy is out of order.

I wanted to raise a matter and I am not allowed.

If the Deputy does not resume his seat——

Just hold on. You did not let me explain.

Because you are shouting away. No, you cannot explain. If you have a request to make you may make it.

Surely I am entitled to a simple explanation. What the people are asking——

No, you are not.

The people are asking what brought us up here.

I will have to name the Deputy.

What brought us up here?

I will have to name the Deputy if he does not resume his seat.

All I want to say is I tried to raise the matter.

I name Deputy Connolly.