I asked the permission of the Chair to raise a Private Notice Question today about an allegation made in the Court of Appeal in London, where the Birmingham Six are appealing, that a witness who would have been in favour of the Six was not present in court because the Garda had been negligent in forwarding his statement which had been given on 4 November but had not reached the court yesterday. That person might have been an important witness in the defense of those six people whose appeal is drawing to a close. I asked permission for the House to consider this by way of Private Notice Question to the Minister for Justice so that he could make representations to the court to the effect that it was the fault of people under his control that the witness was not present. I wanted the Minister to ask the judges to reconsider their decision. I regret the Chair felt unable to allow that question. It is unfortunate, in view of the stage the case is at, that the House should be debarred from raising a matter which is of great interest to the people of the country.

I have communicated my decision to the Deputy who has ample opportunity of raising that matter in other ways.

The Minister for Justice is in the Chamber and I hope he takes note of what I have said and will immediately do something to facilitate this witness being called in this case.