Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)

I welcome the fact that the Government has put something together at last. The last time there was a paper from the Government on Dáil reform was when the late Séamus Brennan was the Chief Whip. I have no interest or intention of meeting the Whip on a bilateral basis to discuss a document that will have to be decided by this House. I would welcome seeing the document before a meeting of the statutory sub-committee of this House, set up and chaired by the Government Whip to deal with these matters. It is not a matter for bilateral talks but for that statutory committee. However, I would welcome having sight of Government proposals on Dáil reform at long last before a meeting of that committee because that is the way it should go. I will not be stampeded, however, into Government proposals on a bilateral basis. That is not the way the system works or should work. The reason it has not worked up to now is because there is a difference between Government's needs and interests and those of the Opposition. I am sure the Minister is aware that is the case. Either we deal by consensus or the Government will do it by diktat. Perhaps it will require diktat to get reform because of the contrary interests of both sides of the House, no matter who is in Government.

I ask the Minister of State to consider looking at this from an Opposition point of view now, seeing that there is every prospect that he will be in Opposition shortly. He and his party might gain from looking at it from an Opposition point of view.

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