I am asking that the Tánaiste make himself available to the House to answer questions regarding his party’s investigation into Senator Martin Conway for inappropriate behaviour towards a female staff member. We wrote to the Tánaiste and the Ceann Comhairle requesting that time be set aside and we also raised this at the Business Committee but this has been declined.

We know there was an investigation by Fine Gael but what we do not know is what the Tánaiste knew or when he knew it. We also know that a payment of €10,000 was made -----

These allegations were made yesterday and I addressed them.

----- but we do not know by whom.

The Deputy cannot make an allegation against a Member of either House. It is to protect the Deputy as well as everybody.

It is legitimate.

This is not a playground.

It is not an allegation.

I addressed this yesterday.

I-----

As the Chair, I am asking the Deputy not to make those allegations again. We addressed this yesterday.

It is being dealt with in writing to the Deputy's Whip. The Deputy can withdraw the allegations.

I will ask a direct question to the Tánaiste then.

You can withdraw the allegations now, Deputy.

Okay. I withdraw the allegations. Rather than there be allegations or anything like this-----

Now the Deputy's time is up.

-----I would ask the Tánaiste to-----

Deputy Farrell's time is now up and she is in another Member's time. I call the Tánaiste to respond.

------make time next week to speak on this.

I addressed this matter yesterday. I also note what the Ceann Comhairle has said in recent days and very much respect that.

What I want to say, to be helpful to the House, is a disciplinary process will commence. I do not want to say anything that in any way cuts across that or, indeed, impedes on people's privacy and the need to respect the person's privacy in terms of the woman here as well, but I expect the highest standards to be upheld and I expect all of these issues to be considered as part of that process. We are talking about an incident that occurred and was addressed by my party some years prior to my leadership but there is a disciplinary process and I do not want to say anything that cuts across that due process.