Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)

That €15 billion is half the amount we currently raise in taxes.

I would like to see an all-party view emerge from this House that we do not accept the current position and that we should improve it. As a first step we should support the Labour Party Bill. It is only a first step but the notion of rejecting the Labour Party Bill, going back to base as far as the Government is concerned and forgetting about the issue is not acceptable.

There are ways even under existing instruments, and this arose in the discussion on the banking inquiry, where the Government can be much more positive in the way it addresses the constitutional and procedural problems that tie our hands in this House. Questions are raised under the Committees of the Houses of the Oireachtas (Compellability, Privileges and Immunity of Witnesses) Act 1997. It is purely procedural, limited in application and so on.

The question arises also of the attendance of, say, bankers in that they could not go before a parliamentary committee. It would be very simple to solve that. If we wanted to require the attendance of bankers before a parliamentary committee, we need not resort to the 1997 Act. We could make it clear, through an amendment to the scheme that accompanies the Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Act, which is due for renewal in the current year, that the continuing financial support of the financial institutions could be made conditional and dependent on full co-operation with any inquiries by the Oireachtas.

There are ways of solving all these problems. Daniel O'Connell talked about driving a coach and four through any legislation with which he did not agree coming from the House of Commons. We must have a mind to drive a coach and four through some of the complexities and the difficulties that are used as an excuse for doing nothing in dealing with the problems confronting the development of our democratic system.

Where does that leave us? I say on my own behalf, from my many years of experience here, and on behalf of my party that there is a major need for reform. "Reform" is a loose word which turns people so I will spell it out. We need to change the processes and procedures here. We have been talking about changing the Standing Orders almost from the time I was elected to this House. Why does the Government not do it? I challenge the Government to do that. It is holding up the process. Why do we not change the way we do the business in our Oireachtas committees and make them more effective? We can and should do that.

The Bill before the House does not just deal with an academic issue. It is not a theoretical issue. It is a practical issue as to the future of our democratic system. It is a test of us all as to the way we deal with the approach proposed by the Labour Party. With a heavy heart I say the Government has failed that test. I ask its members to examine their hearts and ask if they are committed to change. If they are, they should bring forward proposals. If they are not, they should get out and let some other parties into Government that will do a decent job for this country.

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