Ruling on Private Notice Questions
Deputy Birmingham questioned the Chair’s differing rulings on questions involving an arrest and allegations made at an employment appeals tribunal. The Chair said the matter had already been ruled on and ended the exchange.
In relation to a Private Notice Question that I tabled and which you dissallowed, and which I accept I cannot now challenge, the reason the different approach was taken on Question No. 15 was that I tabled questions today in regard to the arrest, release and re-arrest of a person in Cavan; you ruled that out of order on the basis that it was sub judice. I tabled a question arising from certain allegations that were made in the course of an employment appeals tribunal and you allowed the question to appear on the Order Paper but did not allow supplementaries to be put. Could I suggest to you, a Cheann Comhairle, that the proper course of action in relation to my Private Notice Question would have been to allow me put the question but not to allow me put any questions that would have touched on the offence which was charged.
Comment on this
I have already ruled on that matter and I am not going to argue with the Deputy now.