Seanad report: Mary White (FF) was ordered out of the chamber for failing to comply with the directions of the Cathaoirleach after she had referred to a conversation with Britain's Prince Philip.
Before falling foul of the chair, Ms White said she was delighted to welcome the Duke of Edinburgh to Dublin yesterday to present awards to young people alongside President McAleese.
Ms White said she wanted to put into the history books what the duke had told her during his first official visit to Dublin almost eight years ago. Cathaoirleach Rory Kiely said: "We are not discussing the duke. Please stick to the order of business."
Ms White insisted that she wanted to put an important human story on the record of the House. Despite Mr Kiely's repeated calls on her to desist, she said the duke had told her he had travelled to Northern Ireland with the British navy in the 1940s "and sneaked over the Border to a hostelry in Donegal and thoroughly enjoyed himself".
Ms White's statement was greeted by laughter, but Mr Kiely, who was not amused, instructed her once again to speak only on matters relevant to the order of business.
Ms White then called for a debate on the issue of our natural resources. She said she had visited the area of the Corrib onshore gas plant and that there was also a human story associated with the Rossport area of Mayo. Sophie Wessex, whom she had met in an official capacity, had ancestors who came from that locality.
Mr Kiely once more called Ms White to order, but she went on to say that an ancestor of Sophie Wessex had facilitated the return home of French forces who had come to this country to take part in the 1798 rebellion.
Mr Kiely asked his Fianna Fáil colleague to resume her seat.
A short time later Ms White rose to her feet, saying she wished to raise a point of order. She said that some members of the House apparently did not know that Sophie Wessex was the wife of Prince Edward.
Mr Kiely said: "That's not a point of order; that's a point of disorder." He told Ms White that he would like her to respect the House and not be trying to make a sham of it. "That is what you are inclined to do."
Ms White protested that she had only been trying to place matters of history on the record.
Mr Kiely then told her to leave the House. She complied, saying as she departed: "It's very important what I am saying."