Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

The Government has already agreed to have a meeting regarding committees. Over the years a number of initiatives have been taken. For instance, there used to be a committee week that was dropped because Members thought it interrupted the main work of the House. The number of committees has been increased, their role and remit has been extended and they now bring before them far more external bodies. The committee system has expanded since its beginnings in 1984, when only a few committees existed. Any good ideas or suggestions should be taken up.

However, lest any Member believes the committees were mere debating chambers, in the last Dáil, legislation was held up repeatedly by committees. I was obliged time and time again to go after people to try to get legislation through. Had the legislation been dealt with in this Chamber it would have gone through. The idea that this does not affect the operation of the Executive is a nonsense as important legislation gets tied up in committees. In many instances a committee is only as good as its chairman, vice-chairman or membership. On occasion, some committees had difficulties in getting members to turn up in the first place. There are difficulties in this regard. I am content to hold a debate and to reach a good accommodation on this issue. However, to think the committee is a debating society, then UCD or Trinity——

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