Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 1: To ask the Taoiseach his plans for Dáil reform; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5742/11]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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The programme for Government sets out an ambitious and comprehensive programme for Oireachtas reform. A number of proposals in the programme, such as the proposals to abolish the Seanad and reform the electoral system, will require constitutional or legislative amendment.

Such proposals will be progressed by the relevant Ministers. However, some proposals in the programme relate to how the Dáil conducts its business and can be progressed by amending Standing Orders. Such proposals would relate, for example, to Dáil committees, improving the procedures for raising urgent matters in the House and reforming the current system for parliamentary questions. We also propose to improve the processes by which legislation is dealt with by the House, as well as enhancing the role of the Dáil concerning EU affairs.

When I have consulted with my Government colleagues, I will bring forward proposals in relation to these matters for consideration by the Dáil reform sub-committee of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.

The programme for Government also makes proposals on, for example, increasing the number of Dáil sitting days and shortening recesses. As an indication of the Government's intentions in this regard, the House sat this year in St. Patrick's week.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Chief Whip for his answer. The programme for Government contains a commitment for a constitutional convention and a variety of measures on Oireachtas reform, some of which the Minister of State outlined in his reply. When will we see a Government programme and timetable in this regard? The Minister of State said he would consider this matter with his Government colleagues and then bring proposals to the sub-committee on Dáil reform. The latter sub-committee can be established immediately to begin some of the preparatory work while the Chief Whip is consulting his colleagues. I ask him to do that so other parties can start feeding into the proposals for change required to make the Oireachtas more effective and efficient.

When will the sub-committee on Dáil reform be set up and when will it meet initially? This matter is urgent given what we saw yesterday involving changes to Standing Orders, which happened in a piecemeal fashion. We do not want to see that recurring.

Will the constitutional convention require legislation and, if so, when will we see that? I did not notice such proposals in the Government's legislative programme, so will it be brought before the House quite quickly? Many of the proposed changes to the way the Dáil works would require extensive amendments to Standing Orders. Consequently, we need to see the draft changes as quickly as possible so that parties can have consultations on them.

The programme for Government contains a number of proposals for reform, including the abolition of the Seanad. It is suggested that some of the proposals will be referred to the constitutional convention while others will not. How will the Minister of State distinguish between them? Will he proceed with the abolition of the Seanad, or changing it, prior to the convention or after it?

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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As regards constitutional changes, the Deputy specifically mentioned the abolition of Seanad Éireann. The Taoiseach has written to the Attorney General seeking advice on the abolition of the Seanad because a number of constitutional changes are involved where the Seanad is mentioned in the Constitution. It is, therefore, not possible to give a straight "Yes" or "No" answer on when this matter will go to a referendum. The issue is in train, however, and the Taoiseach has written to the Attorney General about it. We will have some specifics concerning it later on. As the Deputy rightly said, this matter is in the programme for Government and has been agreed by both parties. This will be a matter of urgency for the Government.

The Deputy also mentioned the sub-committee on Dáil reform. I am hoping to have an informal meeting next week with the other party Whips to discuss changes concerning Dáil reform that we have specifically mentioned in the programme for Government. I would like to see meaningful talks taking place, so that we will be able to implement what is under discussion. I am not sure how many times the previous sub-committee on Dáil reform met, but nothing was implemented as a result of those meetings. As Government Chief Whip, I would like to see a measured approach by the Government and Opposition parties so that the agreed changes will be implemented. The public wants change and, in addition, all political parties promised changes in their election manifestos. I would like to see such changes happening as soon as possible. I will be meeting all the Whips next week for informal talks. We will put proposals on the table and I have no doubt that there will be agreement on some and disagreement on others. However, I would like to see the agreed changes being made as swiftly as possible. I would like to see some changes in the workings of the House following the Easter recess.

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the fact the Chief Whip has indicated he would be open to a committee on Dáil reform as we need to examine our working methods. The multiplication of sessions and sitting days will not make the House work effectively unless we have real changes in working methods that allow Members to supervise the work of the Government. Nonetheless, I welcome the Chief Whip's commitment in that regard. When will a committee on Dáil reform be set up?

With regard to the Houses themselves, when will the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission be established? The commission is the guarantor of the independence of the Houses from the Executive and we are entitled to see it established as quickly as possible.

By way of criticism in regard to the reply on the question of the Seanad, the Government does not need to consult the Attorney General to know what the important co-ordinate powers of the Seanad are under the Constitution. They are written out in the Constitution and I assume the Taoiseach can read. The reason, of course, why this reference to the Attorney General has taken place is because, I regret to say-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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A question, please.

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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-----Fine Gael is taking a very cynical attitude whereby Seanad Éireann should exist as a subsidy for its political interests for the duration of this Dáil.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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On the last question, the mistake of the previous Government was to fail to consult. It is important to consult the Attorney General and that is why that office is in place, namely, to allow for consultation on the Government's behalf. It is no harm for the Taoiseach to consult the Attorney General on the abolition of Seanad Éireann to make sure we bring in legislation that is watertight so we do not have to revisit the issue in the way the previous Government had to revisit many issues. I want to make sure the legislation we introduce is watertight and correctly prepared.

As I said to Deputy Ó Snodaigh, I will have informal talks next week with the Opposition Whips and, as swiftly as possible after that, I will have the committee on Dáil reform established and some changes will be implemented after the Easter recess.

I spoke to the Taoiseach this week on the establishment of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission and I hope that would be expedited as soon as possible. As the Deputy knows, a number of issues need to be addressed in regard to the workings of the Oireachtas, with the political parties coming forward. I hope that too will be expedited as soon as possible.

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Will the Minister of State acknowledge that Dáil reform is not synonymous with longer sittings? In fact, it is a dilemma for the left that the longer the Dáil sits, the more damage the Government will do with its right-wing economic policies.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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A question, please.

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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With regard to extending the Dáil sittings to Fridays, will the Chief Whip assure us this is not a trick to have the Opposition in the House doing its work while half the Government, given its huge majority, is off down the country, and that this will be facilitated by the type of business that will be rostered for Fridays? To make the Dáil at least a vehicle where elected Members can raise issues that are of immediate relevance to constituents and to ordinary people generally, what proposals will the Government bring forward with regard to the hint the Taoiseach gave that he and Ministers will be available to answer questions from any Member of the Opposition, not just the leader of a group, with regard to pressing issues of the day, including issues that might arise overnight or be of controversy or relevance?

To facilitate the Members of the Dáil, many of whom have pressing and busy schedules, will the Chief Whip send a calendar outlining his plans for Dáil sittings and business between now and the autumn so we can plan our work and know exactly where we have to be on particular days for the next several months?

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I will have that calendar circulated to the Deputy. The Deputy will be glad to hear the holidays and breaks will be much shorter than what we had in the past. He might have one week at Easter to get to the sun in Lanzarote or Spain.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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He could join the Spanish protestors.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I will make sure he gets some form of break - I know there was a disagreement over that.

Deputy Higgins mentioned longer sitting times and days. The Taoiseach referred in the programme for Government to the Dáil sitting on Fridays. If the Dáil sits on Fridays, I want to ensure they are meaningful sittings where Members do not come to the House to give glib statements on any issue, although statements can be important at times. I want to ensure sittings mean something, that there is some form of debate and interaction between the Opposition and the Government and that legislation will be discussed, whether through committee sittings in the House or otherwise. We want meaningful debate on those issues.

The Deputy referred to the raising of matters of urgent importance. The only way a Member can raise matters of urgent importance at present is through the Adjournment debate, which is the last business on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. I would prefer if Members could raise matters earlier in the day in order to be able to have the issues highlighted on local or national radio or in their constituencies. There would be an opportunity to raise the issue with the aligned Minister, who would need to have some form of notice of that issue, and there would also be supplementary questions. This can be done in a meaningful way. I want to revamp the Adjournment debate so topical issues can be raised with the Government. Whether this will take place in the morning or early in the day can be worked out by the Whips.

With regard to longer sitting days and shorter recesses, the Dáil resumed one week after the Taoiseach was elected, we sat in St. Patrick's week, we will have a shorter recess for Easter and a shorter summer recess, with the Dáil coming back in the second week of September. There will be a totally different regime than under the outgoing Government. We will increase Dáil sittings by 50% and the Dáil will sit four days in the week, the summer recess will be just six weeks, there will be reduced breaks at Christmas and Easter and no mid-term break at St. Patrick's day or at Hallowe'en.

The outgoing Government used the guillotine too often and I want to stop that practice. We want to give Members the opportunity to speak on legislation and I want to see progress in that area. I would also like to see the overhaul of the committee system. I have been a Member of the House for nine years and I had never witnessed a debate similar to that for the release of the Moriarty tribunal report, when one and a half days was given over to statements. The Taoiseach and the line Minister came to the House to answer questions, which I have never seen happen before.

We are not running away. I have listened to some on the Opposition benches claim in recent days that the Government is running scared. If we were running scared, we would not have given one and a half days to statements in the House or given Members the opportunity to speak, with the Government openly and frankly answering any questions raised.

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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With regard to these endless sitting days, if Ministers are not present and we just have discussions about tsunamis or tribunal reports, that is not accountability by the Government. Will weeks be set aside for committee business in this proposed reform?

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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As I said in reply to Deputy Higgins, I would hope some committee work can be carried out in the House, perhaps every second or third Friday, or otherwise. Ministers will be in the House on Fridays if the Dáil is sitting. Ministers must be accountable to the House and, as Chief Whip, I will make sure they are accountable and present to answer Opposition questions. We will not be running scared. The relevant Ministers and Ministers of State will be here when legislation is being discussed, including on Committee Stage. We will make sure Ministers are present in the House.