A Labour party deputy was suspended from the Dβil yesterday when he tried to raise the sugar beet crisis. Mr Jack Wall (Kildare South) was ruled out of order by Ceann Comhairle Mr Seamus Pattison, when he persisted in referring to the dispute at the Irish Sugar plants.

Mr Wall had asked what the Taoiseach and Minister for Agriculture planned to do to "avoid the major crisis developing in the farming community".

When the Ceann Comhairle said there were other opportunities to raise the issue but it was not appropriate at the Order of Business, Mr Wall said there were "1,000 jobs under threat in Munster and Leinster". When he repeatedly referred to the potential job losses, he was ordered out of the chamber. The Fine Gael leader, Mr Michael Noonan, later called for a debate on the issue and asked the Taoiseach to take responsibility for the matter since the Minister for Agriculture was in Qatar at the WTO negotiations.

Mr Ahern said there had been discussions between the Minister of State for Agriculture, Mr Noel Davern, his Department officials and chief executive of Irish Sugar, Dr Sean Brady and his colleague Mr John Broderick. The Minister and his officials were also to meet representatives of the IFA.

Mr Ahern said he did not consider it useful to report on the issue while the talks were ongoing.