May I ask the Minister about some aspects on questions? Is he aware that there are two factors which are combining to make it difficult to have questions relevant and contemporary? If I wish to put down a question to the Taoiseach for the Tuesday of any week, I must put it down on the preceding Wednesday. That makes things very difficult, because certainly it means that matters which arise urgently must wait until the following week. The Minister might suggest that the situation can be dealt with by way of Private Notice Question. He would agree that there are severe limitations and restrictions on Private Notice Questions. With all due respect to his lordship in the Chair, most of the time he takes a very restrictive view of what is allowable under Private Notice Question.

A fair view, according to Standing Orders.

Perhaps; nevertheless, the Chair would have to admit that it is a limited and restricted process. I ask the Minister to consider seriously some way, through a change either in the precedure for Private Notice Questions or in the time scale which applies to putting down questions, to see if we can have questions asked in this House on important matters which arise suddenly and urgently and with which very often the Taoiseach or the Minister might wish to be in a position to deal and to answer in the House.

(Dún Laoghaire): I have tried to cover that aspect in my reply to the original question. There are various systems of raising matters of immediate concern, for example, on the Adjournment or by Private Notice Question. I am open to have discussions with the Opposition Whip in relation to this matter, but the problem with Question Time, as anybody who sits in the House will see, is that it is turning into more of a debate, as distinct from getting information by asking a question. There is a need, and I have said in my reply, that I am looking for ways and means of trying to find a procedure whereby matters of immediate concern can be raised in the Dáil on the day in question or the following day, as they arise. We have it here with the Ceann Comhairle every day on the Order of Business when Deputies attempt to raise matters which are immediate and need an answer but are ruled out of order, rightly so, because they do not arise on the Order of Business. I am trying to find some way of dealing with that problem so that Deputies would get an opportunity to raise a matter of immediate importance. I have written to the Opposition Chief Whip in relation to the present Question Time system and any concrete or constructive suggestions which can be made will be looked at.

On that point, the Minister of State might consider two matters. First, a revision of the terms applicable to Private Notice Questions so that the Ceann Comhairle will not, very much against his wishes, time and again be forced into ruling Private Notice Questions of mine out of order which I know grieves him very deeply. Perhaps, we could find some way of broadening the terms of urgent public business through the Private Notice Question. Secondly, would the Minister of State consider a device which is used in another Parliament whereby the Ceann Comhairle will concede from time to time an emergency debate on issues which arise suddenly? Perhaps, with Deputy De Rossa's permission I might move on to the committee system. Is there any way whereby the Minister of State could ensure that the committees are not used by particular individuals to secure personal sensational type publicity for themselves as chairmen of those committees? The Minister of State knows who exactly I am referring to.

Did it not go down in Limerick?

It was in a press release.

Guttersnipe.

(Dún Laoghaire): This committee system was only set up in the lifetime of the Government. All of us who are members would be only too delighted to do anything we can to improve on the committee system. I am carrying out a review of the committee system at present to see how it can be improved. I will certainly take note of what Deputy Haughey said about the other matters.