1471 Written anwers released in one day. Is this normal?

[seabhcan]

Checking up on a written answer from the Dept of Justice I found that they seem to have released 1,471 answers in one day - 30 Jan 2008.

link

Is this normal? Or are the trying to bury something in a mountain of replies? (Or am i misunderstanding something?)

[dail usher]

Is this normal? Or are the trying to bury something in a mountain of replies? (Or am i misunderstanding something?)

You are completely misunderstanding it. You can see the relevant Question paper here: http://www.oireachtas.ie/ViewDoc.asp...oDate=20080129

The number of questions is determined by the number tabled - mainly by opposition TDs - not by any Minister.

On the day in question there were a total of 1472 questions (both Oral and written) tabled to all Depts - only 178 were put down to the Minister for Justice - so you well wide of the mark there.


Check out Thursday's Daily Star to see that some TDs seem to be turning asking pointless questions into a mini industry - Leo Varadkar appears to have asked almost 200 parliamentary questions in one day alone.

[seabhcan]

I'm certain that not all of those questions were tabled on the same day. The one i was interested in (Q1155) was submitted last november and only answered on Jan 30, along with the 1,471 others.

Why answer them all on one day?

[drjimryan]

i recall reading that each question costs around €300....do the maths!

[seabhcan]

i recall reading that each question costs around €300....do the maths!

Money well spent in many cases - the ability of citizens to put questions to govenment through their TD is the foundation stone of democracy.

I have happily cost the government (to which I pay my taxes) several grand in the past.

[red365]

Replies to PQs only appear on Dail sitting days. Jan 30 was the first sitting day since Dec 19 so in effect there was a three or four week backlog. 1472 is not typical.

Last Thursday for example each department had about 15 questions each.

Questions are SUPPOSED to be answered within 5 working days. If the information is not available, the Dept usually gives a holding reply to the effect that the info was not available in the time and that it will be forwarded to the deputy when it is completed.

The exceptions to this are when questions related to state bodies that don't operate directly under the remit of a Minister. HSE is a case in point. Those questions can take months to get a response.

Re Star piece on Thursday, I found the criticism a bit hard to take to be honest. The public is fully entitled to know what's going on in Govt depts, and deputies should not make any apologies for lifting the veil on the bureacucracy and red tape that is endemic.

Funny enough, the same journalist in the same edition of The Star ran a big piece about the Manchester Martyrs. Where did she get the information?

It was a rely to a PQ!

[krayZpaving]

It's always the same when the Dáil returns from a recess. There were 1577 on 27th September 2006, and 1427 on 28th September 2005.

The questions build up over the period during which the Dáil isn't sitting and then all get answered on the same day when it returns.

And yes, written PQs are vital. It's the best way to get accountability from Government for all its functions.

[lostexpectation]

leo vad was asking who was on all the quangos

[qtman]

i recall reading that each question costs around €300....do the maths!

Money well spent in many cases - the ability of citizens to put questions to govenment through their TD is the foundation stone of democracy.

I have happily cost the government (to which I pay my taxes) several grand in the past.

That depends on the question:

e.g.

Asking the Minister for Enterprise and Employment when he is going to deliver 2000 jobs for Tralee is a question that has no place in the chamber of the Dail.

Asking the Minister for Enterprise and Employment how much money was spent on promoting investment in Tralee in 2007 is a perfectly legitimate question.

[red365]

That depends on the question:

e.g.

Asking the Minister for Enterprise and Employment when he is going to deliver 2000 jobs for Tralee is a question that has no place in the chamber of the Dail.

That question is too open-ended and would therefore be ruled out of order

Asking the Minister for Enterprise and Employment how much money was spent on promoting investment in Tralee in 2007 is a perfectly legitimate question.

Agreed