Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

The Minister did not need any submission from me. We had it already published and it was on our website. It is called, "New Politics". If the Minister wants a hard copy of it, I would have no difficulty providing one. The Minister is high on rhetoric and low on output in terms of his promised electoral reform.

Will the Minister be asking the chairman of his party to withdraw remarks made in the context of by-elections when we were discussing my party's Private Members' Bill on setting a limit for when casual vacancies should be filled, namely this notion that a casual vacancy filled within six months would undermine the Government mandate? What does that say about democracy and electoral reform? Could I ask if the Minister will be asking the chairman of his party to withdraw those remarks?

See this speech in context