John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)

It is appropriate the House is discussing how an effective committee system could and should work because for the past two days we have been discussing the findings of a tribunal that was like a soap opera for 14 years. At least soap operas such as "Fair City" or "Coronation Street" are broadcast with ad breaks in the middle, which means money is being earned as well as expended. However, in the case of the tribunal, all the money was going out.

The Moriarty tribunal did its work as per its instructions, but this was at a significant cost to the State. Up to now, at least, it seems to have had no more of an effect than five or six people in a pub on a Friday night having a chat and gossiping. These tribunals have all the trappings of the Supreme Court or High Court but the difference is there is as much confusion at the end as there was at the beginning. If there were an effective committee system, armed with the investigative powers to investigate such matters of public interest, with people forced to give evidence, would there be any need for further tribunals? Was it foreseen when it was instituted that the tribunal could run into the sand as it did? In this regard it is ironic to be discussing the committee system today. We need to get the system right, once and for all.

When I suggest that people should be forced to attend committees to give evidence, I mean people such as Ministers and the Taoiseach. This would provide a level of accountability to the House whereby the facts could be established quickly and the appropriate action taken by the relevant bodies, whether the Garda Síochána, the Director of Public Prosecutions or the Revenue Commissioners.

The public have been infuriated for the past 15 years by the fact that there seems to be one rule for the high and mighty and another rule for the other classes, as it were. I am glad to see that the programme for Government clearly outlines how we plan to overhaul the way politics and government works. The Government realises this radical overhaul is necessary. The failure of the political system over the past decade has led to the financial crisis about to unfold before us in a few hours' time. One of the biggest criticisms of the political system over recent years is that this House is completely disconnected from the public. The promise in the programme for Government to establish an investigative, oversight and petitions committee will go a long way towards addressing the gulf between politics and the people. This committee will receive parliamentary petitions from individuals and groups seeking to have grievances redressed with regard to public services and administration. The concept of a petitions committee has worked well at European Union level and there is no reason it will not work well here.

I was elected to this House for the first time in 2007 and I found the lack of accountability mind-boggling. For example, questions were often disallowed and when they were dealt with, the reply meant nothing. Ministers hid behind quangos and often one had to wait six months for the final answer. I acknowledge there are many good people working in the system but they were also caught in the strait-jacket. I regarded it as an extended game of pass the parcel. The restructuring and reorganising of the committee system is the first and crucial step in making this House and its workings more relevant. It needs to be implemented now if we are to regain the political system we deserve.

The committee system has so much to offer. Its role is perceived as being similar to a footballer who comes onto the pitch for ten minutes but is then taken off. A proper list system will give the players in this House more time on the pitch, and a real say. The people will identify with this. The committee system has so much to offer and it is time we embraced it totally.

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