I mentioned earlier that we had sought to move an amendment to the Private Members' motion put forward by the Rural Independent Group in respect of reform of the HSE. Our amendment was ruled out of order and I want to register our great disappointment that this has proven to be the case. I understand the Ceann Comhairle was bound by some rule or other in making this judgment. For the purposes of clarity, can he place on the record of the Dáil the basis for ruling our amendment out of order?

I am quite happy to do that. If serious charges are to be made against a person outside the House, ruling No. 470 of the salient rulings of the Chair provide that this can only be done by way of substantive motion. An amendment to another motion is not, and has never been considered to be, a substantive motion. Notwithstanding that the matter is of major importance, it was not possible to take the motion as proposed.

Can the Ceann Comhairle clarify ruling No. 470, its provenance and what it consists of?

It sets out very clearly that if an accusation or a charge is to be made against somebody outside the House - a person who is not in a position to defend himself or herself - the only way it may be done is by way of substantive motion.

I understand the meaning, I am asking about the ruling's origins.

It originated before I arrived but I do not have the date.

I understand it dates from 1994.

Like anything else, if Members are unhappy with the rules or procedures, they can definitely seek to change them. I cannot change them unilaterally and I cannot interpret them.

I was not asking the Ceann Comhairle to do that. I sought to establish, for the purpose of the record, the provenance of this ruling.

I cannot interpret the rulings unilaterally or to anybody's particular satisfaction.