Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)

On a point of order, I must say as someone who has been a Member of the House for a long time that what is being suggested is singularly unhelpful. It is the wish of every serving Deputy to try to improve the credibility of the parliamentary process. Many of us have attended and made written and oral submissions to the Sub-Committee on Dáil Reform. The idea that we would assent without a full and proper debate to the suggestion that changing Standing Orders is a matter for the Whips to agree is unsatisfactory, as it affects every Member. If no one else will call a vote on it, I will. We should not pass this motion. We should defer it.

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