John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)

It is an item for consideration. At times, it might be believed that there is not much progress. Given the complexity, trying to achieve an overall agreement has proven difficult. This is not my experience, but the experience of those who went before me. On 18 November, the standing Sub-committee on Dáil Reform had a comprehensive meeting. I will not read out everything, only the main headings. It had a substantial consideration of a range of Dáil reform proposals that would have seen business commencing at 11 a.m. on Tuesdays with a commencement debate, confined business, oral parliamentary questions and so forth. On Wednesdays, the Dáil would have commenced at 9.30 a.m. with a commencement debate, 30-second questions and Government business. On Thursdays, the Dáil would also have started at 9.30 a.m. The sub-committee explained what the commencement debate would be, supplementary questions, oral questions and Questions to An Taoiseach. I will not read out the full list, but it was comprehensive.

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