Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)

I welcome the opportunity presented by this motion to examine the issue of reform of the institutions that enable our democracy to operate. Many of these institutions, including the Oireachtas, were designed for a different era and time and to satisfy different requirements. However, the motion before us proposes reform of only one aspect of this broad area and seems to be directed at cost savings rather than effective reform of the system. If Deputy Hogan had not set out his case so clearly in proposing the motion, I would have suggested that it smacks of populism. While the savings generated by the implementation of this proposal would represent the elimination of some unnecessary waste, they would be relatively small. Moreover, it should be noted that reform does not always equate with savings, with some reforms costing more to implement than the system they are intended to replace.

Nevertheless, there is no doubt that the increase in the number of Ministers of State from 17 to 20 by this Administration has led to understandable public criticism. Not only do many members of the public not know the identity and role of individual Ministers of State, Members themselves are often similarly confused. Moreover, the creation of a large number of Oireachtas committees for the purpose of providing Government backbenchers with paid positions as chairmen, vice-chairmen and convenors has also been widely criticised. The former Taoiseach, Deputy Bertie Ahern, made several such appointments to ensure that the Members in question towed the Government line.

I had the honour to serve as a Minister of State in two Departments over a five-year period.

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