Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Some of the Fianna Fáil Ministers of State have offered to resign too. We need a debate on the reform of this House, which cannot continue to operate as it has over recent years.

Some years ago, I went to the High Court to fight the decision to abolish the dual mandate. I was annoyed that Fianna Fáil had chosen to take that decision from the people. The Chief Whip, Deputy Pat Carey — he did not hold that position at the time — told a judge in the Four Courts that one of the reasons the then Government wanted to abolish the dual mandate was to facilitate more frequent sittings of this House, for example on Mondays and Fridays. I can send the Ministers of State opposite a copy of the court transcript if they like. During the ongoing economic crisis, this House has frequently not been sitting when major decisions have had to be taken. It took a long break at Christmas and another break last week. I suppose the same thing will happen at Easter. The Government runs out of the House every time it gets an opportunity to do so. The Dáil does not need to sit on days other than Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, which are the days on which it sits at present. However, there is no need for this House to be closed on those days in the middle of July and in September. I suggest that we should close down for the month of August and for a week at Christmas. This House should be accountable to the people of Ireland, who pay their taxes and elect Deputies. They expect us to represent them and to debate the issues of the day in this Chamber.

All Ministers run out of the House as soon as they get an opportunity to do so. We have had social partnership for the past 20 years. It worked for a while, but it has not been working over recent years. Part of the problem with social partnership is that the Government now thinks it is more important to talk to the unions than to talk to the elected representatives of the people. That has been a big mistake. Fine Gael has proposed a reduction from 20 to 12 in the number of Ministers of State. I will not embarrass the Ministers of State who are responsible for matters like bicycles and buses by naming them. Some of them do not know what responsibilities they have. That has happened in this House. There is no need for a small country like Ireland to have so many Ministers of State. It is not a question of the amount of money that will be saved — it is a question of the message that will be transmitted to the people of this country.

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