A Cheann Comhairle, may I seek your assistance in relation to a letter I have just received from your office?

Sorry, Deputy, the Chair is very loath to accept or permit an interruption at Question Time.

I can accept that.

I will accept any point of order the Deputy wishes to raise, say, on the Order of Business but not now.

I communicated with your office on Thursday last——

I am sorry, Deputy, I will not permit the precious time allotted to Questions to be eroded.

——and I received a reply at 2 o'clock today.

Deputy Spring, please desist. I propose to deal with Questions. If the Deputy has a pertinent question to raise later I will hear him——

My question is so pertinent I sought to raise it here.

——but not now. I am calling the first question to the Taoiseach.