Concern over ministers failing to answer parliamentary questions adequately has been expressed to Taoiseach Micheál Martin and to the top civil servants in Government departments.
The Clerk of the Dáil has written to the secretaries general across Government warning them that substantive answers must be provided to questions.
Departments were put on notice too that questions must be answered on time, with the Clerk saying he was aware of “late replies”.
Peter Finnegan made it clear that questions are a “key mechanism of parliamentary accountability” and a “refusal to substantively reply does not fulfil that accountability requirement”.
The Ceann Comhairle has also raised this matter in correspondence to the Taoiseach.
Several TDs have complained to Verona Murphy that their questions are not being adequately answered.
The Ceann Comhairle has received 65 complaints from TDs on this issue.
Many of the difficulties were resolved informally but Ms Murphy has on three occasions formally compelled members of the Government to provide more detailed answers.
Labour TD Alan Kelly has called on the Ceann Comhairle to lay before the Dáil the required statistical report listing the details of when members of the Government failed to properly answer parliamentary questions.
Mr Kelly also wants Ms Murphy to quickly activate the formal rules of the Dáil when questions are not answered in full.
He said that opposition TDs are finding the current situation exhausting as they have to keep chasing ministers for answers.
“Given that there was such a big issue with standing orders and speaking rights at the commencement of this Dail, I feel that there is a different standard at play when it comes to the implementation of standing orders when it comes to how parliamentary questions are answered.
“This isn’t acceptable. Standing order 55 should be implemented in full.
“There is absolutely no provision in standing order 55 for any ‘informal’ method for addressing the non-answer of parliamentary questions. This I believe should not happen,” he said.
