Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

We want to regard this legislative process as informed, representative and as effective as possible. Some of my proposals will help in this regard.

All Members, but unfortunately nobody outside the Oireachtas, recognise the value of the work of the committees. which comprise one of the success stories of Dáil reform in recent years. Only last week I spoke with members of the Committee on Education and Science and they commented on the valuable debate and real engagement they had on the Education for Persons with Disabilities Bill.

Committees are a valuable mechanism for holding Government to account on detailed issues of policy and administration and for progressing legislation and making better legislation. All committee members spend many hours doing committee work. Committees are very useful fora for allowing members of the public to air issues of concern to them. Consider the work of the committee dealing with the Barron report in this regard. Committees have highlighted topical issues such as telephone charges and obesity in children, which have attracted considerable informed public debate.

We would like the committees to be given more recognition in the plenary session. I propose that there be a weekly opportunity for committee chairmen to address the Dáil and that an hour be made available each week to hear a report of proceedings from a committee or committees. Each would be able to answer questions in the Chamber so all Members could become involved in all the committees.

On of the great advances that has been made has been in the area of EU scrutiny. Undoubtedly, there was a democratic deficit regarding the adoption of European legislation and European affairs generally. We need to raise the profile not just of the work of the Union but of our work in scrutinising what is happening in Europe. The Chairman of the Sub-Committee on European Scrutiny should be asked to address the Dáil at least every six months. As our joint committees are dealing with EU issues, they too should come before the Dáil.

In addition to measures to strengthen our legislative process, there are other changes which would ensure greater accountability. We all recognise that holding Adjournment debates at midnight and 12.15 a.m. is unsatisfactory, not just from the perspective of the backbencher but also from the perspective of the Minister. I propose that a new "topical issues" time be introduced at a prominent time during each sitting day. This would provide an opportunity for Members to raise local and national issues and allow for interaction between the Deputy asking the question and the relevant Minister.

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