Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I ask the Taoiseach for his view on the democratic deficit that applies in the area of social partnership. The Sustaining Progress agreement was never put before this House for comment. People from all parties and none have pointed out that they heard personalities who were attending the social partnership talks speaking on the radio, outlining the issues that were discussed but the agreement was never discussed in here. After ten years, while recognising that the social partnership process is important for stability and so forth, the time has come for the Oireachtas and the Members elected by the people to have a real opportunity to discuss Towards 2016, Sustaining Progress and other agreements. The democratic deficit is not good for the health of our democracy or for politics.

Arising from the conclusion of Towards 2016, what serious efforts will be made concerning public service reform? We hear much talk from the users of public services about the gulf that exists between the standards and delivery of private services for which they pay and those provided by the public service, for which they also pay but which are not of the same standard. Is that something in which the Taoiseach has an interest? Is he interested in seeing serious public service reform whereby users can expect, demand and receive the best level of service, for which they pay?

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