Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)

I congratulate Deputy Michael Kitt on his appointment as Leas Cheann-Comhairle. The Minister in his opening speech spoke about openness and transparency, with which I agree. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin told the House of his disappointment that he was not a member of any committee in the previous Dáil. This should be rectified in the future. Any Member who expresses a wish to be a member of a committee should be given the opportunity to be part of the process, regardless of the party to which he or she belongs.

I was first elected to the Dáil in 2007 and I enjoyed being a member of a committee in the previous Dáil. I was a member of the Joint Committee on Social Protection. The work was most interesting and educational. I most enjoyed meeting groups who came to the committee, such as the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Older and Bolder, ActionAid Ireland and the Carers Association. All these groups made very interesting representations and they have their fingers on the pulse of the community. I learned more from listening to them than I could learn from reading any book.

I see potential in the committee structure to make more of an impact on legislation and to give a voice to groups and individuals who do not otherwise have access to the Oireachtas. It is a vital link between representative groups and elected Members. We must continue the policy of openness and transparency which is the key to political reform. This is how we must do business in the Oireachtas from now on.

It is crucial that we completely reject the old mentality of jobs for the boys when it comes to appointing chairmen of committees. Such appointments should be made on the basis of merit and ability with no additional payment involved. Committees become more effective when they use their powers in a constructive way to make good law.

I refer as a good example to the manner in which committees are organised in the European Parliament. They meet twice a month and the public are permitted to table amendments and make proposals for legislation. These committees consider Commission and Council proposals and, if necessary, draw up reports to be presented to the plenary assembly.

I wish to make a particular point on the subject of senior citizens. We must be careful not to abandon or forget most important areas to which we need to give attention and effort. I fully accept the importance of focusing our energies on the economy at present and this is reflected at the Cabinet table. Let us not forget about important areas and interested groups who still need and deserve our attention. One such group very dear to my heart is that of our senior citizens. They were previously represented by a Minister of State with responsibility for older people in the Department of Health and Children, but unfortunately this is no longer the case. Since the announcement of Ministers and Ministers of State, I have been inundated with calls from elderly people and interested groups representing senior citizens who are shocked that they are no longer to be represented by a dedicated Minister of State. This is a major oversight on our part. I fully understand the difficult decisions that had to be taken in forming the Government and creating the Cabinet. However, given that the aging population is facing into a pensions crisis in the years to come, older people's issues must be represented at the highest level.

With this in mind I am asking for the establishment of a committee dedicated to older people. Older people's issues come under a wide range of policy areas. I have previously worked on older persons' issues in the areas of health, long-term care, housing, energy and fuel, pension and income, social welfare support, and abuse of the elderly. These important issues need to be given a platform to be adequately addressed, including, for example, taking the national positive aging strategy in hand to ensure it is fully implemented.

The programme for Government makes important commitments to older people and I know that Fine Gael and our coalition partners are determined to deliver on them. When forming our new committees we need to seize the opportunity to show our senior citizens that they are not forgotten, but are valued and appreciated.

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