Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Despite the meeting and the Taoiseach's response to me yesterday, I have not received any proposals from the Government Chief Whip regarding the proposed committees or their structure. When will I get those proposals?

The Taoiseach claimed yesterday that Opposition Deputies only ever chaired watchdog committees. That is not true. In the last Dáil, for example, the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Social and Family Affairs was chaired by a member of the Labour Party. In the previous Dáil, the Oireachtas Joint Committees on Heritage and the Irish Language, and on Tourism, Sport and Recreation were chaired by Fine Gael and Labour Deputies respectively. It is not true to say that members of the Opposition chaired only watchdog committees, as they are known.

Committees are instruments of the Dáil and not of Government only. I put the Taoiseach on notice that I am seriously concerned about what he said yesterday about not changing his mind. The structure of the committees should reflect the changed representation in the House, elected by the people.

I will not offer any great co-operation unless the Government moves on this issue. In order to have this above board, I propose that, in advance of the Whips' meeting, we devote next Thursday, 11 October, to a discussion in the Chamber about the issue that Deputy Michael D. Higgins raised yesterday. This would include the quality of the committees, their role and responsibility and how we should deal with them. It would also deal with my belief that the Dáil, Seanad and committees should all be televised on a special parliamentary channel so that people would know what goes on in here.

Let us have that discussion and ask the Members, new and not so new, about their views on committees, their structure, their nature and how the House should deal with them. This would be beneficial to the Parliament and democracy in general. I suggest to the Government Whip that tomorrow week we have a discussion here between all the parties and individuals about the committee system. I am concerned that the proportion of elected representatives should be reflected in the way that the committees do their business.

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