Professor David Farrell:

From what I have read, in previous times when there was talk about increasing the resources of the Oireachtas, this translated into individual Dáil Deputies being given an additional parliamentary resource by way of an additional staff member. That is the wrong way to go. The right way is to realise modern day Parliament needs an effective committee structure. Parliamentarians are parliamentarians first and foremost. They have a parliamentary role to play and should be serviced in that role. If we were starting with a blank sheet, what I would be advising - others would agree with me on this - is that resources should be given to committees. I can see that this committee is well resourced, but that should be the norm rather than the exception. The library and information service should be better resourced than is the case. As I mentioned, there should also be a budgetary office that would work to the agenda of the Oireachtas.