Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)

The Minister of State will be aware that the Committee on Procedures and Privileges is the body which looks after our Standing Orders and is, therefore, in charge of Dáil reform. A sub-committee of the CPP sits in private. I agree that it should meet in private and disagree with my colleague on that point. That being said, would the Minister of State agree that the system of seeking consensus between sides that have conflicts of interests, namely, the Government and the Opposition, is almost doomed to failure before it can start? Will he also agree that achieving Dáil reform is bedevilled by changes in personnel and Government? During the time I have been involved in Dáil reform, a number of packages were almost ready when the Government or Whip changed, with the new Whip or Government having a different idea, or more regularly, no idea about Dáil reform. For example, a comprehensive package of Dáil reform put together by Deputy Seán Barrett, former Deputy Des O'Malley, the late Deputy Séamus Brennan and I never saw the light because of a change in Government. A new group then started the process from scratch and came up with a different set of ideas. I am sure the Minister of State is aware of this.

Is the Minister of State aware that to get over this continuing problem, the Labour Party is putting forward a comprehensive proposal-----

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