Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)

Is the Minister of State aware of the recent debate at the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, when Deputy Ruairí Quinn brought to our attention the fact that Ministers were only answering one part of a question? The committee agreed wholeheartedly that this should change and asked our officials to draw up Standing Orders to effect the change, which they duly did. When the new Standing Orders came before us the Minister of State, as leader of the Fianna Fáil group on the committee, applied a Fianna Fáil whip and voted the matter down without any reason. The Minister of State will recall that on that occasion, all Fianna Fáil members spoke with one voice - as if they had a script - to directly contradict what they said at the previous meeting. That is what I have been dealing with and that is the reason I am sceptical of what the Minister of State is now saying about Dáil reform.

Deputy Ó Caoláin raised the important matter of expenses. The commission has put forward a proposal for a unitary parliamentary allowance to replace the bits and pieces which are now involved in our allowances. It would be absolutely transparent and everybody would know what is received and why. The Dáil has passed a Bill to enable its implementation. Is there any truth in the rumour that the Minister is not doing so because he is afraid some of the Fianna Fáil backbenchers will revolt if he does? Perhaps the Minister of State will confirm whether that rumour is true. If it is not, will he indicate why this is not being done, particularly in view of the fact that the commission agreed to it and the House has already passed enabling legislation?

Will the Minister of State provide an assurance that the package of Dáil reforms proposed by Fianna Fáil, which is very skimpy in nature and the majority of which favours the parties in Government-----

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