I have a question on the programme for Government relating to care and delivery of services for our elderly. I will address it to the Minister for Health if I can since he is present. Is the Minister aware that a parliamentary question was submitted on 21 September which was chased up with his Department on at least four occasions but which still has not been responded to?

That is not relevant to promised legislation.

It is the only place I can raise it. It is about the care and delivery of services for our elderly. It is in the programme for Government.

If the Deputy has a problem with a parliamentary question, I would be more than happy to assist her, but this-----

I would like to raise this with the Minister because it is the only avenue I have-----

It is not appropriate for Questions on Promised Legislation.

The question was asked 11 weeks ago and related to the number and costs of fair deal beds, the number of contracted beds in private nursing homes in County Louth and on a county by county basis. It also asked for a breakdown of additional costs for contracted beds, county by county. Is it information that the Department does not want to put in the public domain, is it just sheer gross incompetence or does the Minister have another explanation as to why an elected Member of this House has waited for 11 weeks for a response from the Minister's Department and is still waiting? What does the Minister propose to do?

The Deputy's time is up.

Has the Minister lost control of his own Department and-----

The Deputy's time is up.

It is not responding to elected Members.

Deputy, please.

The HSE responds to elected Members on a regular basis but if the Deputy is having a particular difficulty, I will ask the HSE since the question would have been referred to it to respond to the Deputy directly. I thought the Deputy was standing up to welcome the new emergency department in Drogheda which I recently visited.