Alan Farrell (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

As this is my maiden speech, I take the opportunity to express my appreciation to the electorate in Dublin North and the members of Fine Gael in my constituency who worked tirelessly with me in order to achieve a feat not seen since the days of Nora Owen and John Boland some 25 years ago. It is a profound honour and great privilege to serve as the people's representative in this House. I also take this opportunity to congratulate the Minister, Deputy Brendan Howlin, on his appointment to this hugely important role in the Thirty-first Dáil.

The reform of the committee system is an element of political reform which is essential if we are to reform properly our parliamentary democracy because for too long the committee system has been used as a method of rewarding political loyalty rather than a tool of a properly functioning parliamentary democracy. It should be an honour and a privilege to be asked to serve on a committee, not something that comes by virtue of political service. Deputies and Senators who sit on committees must be there to effect real change rather than as a reward for political loyalty. Committees should not and cannot exist purely for the sake of it. This is not to detract from the important and significant work performed by some committees over the past number of years, including the Committee of Public Accounts.

The manner in which committees operate must be changed so that they not only operate effectively, but restore public confidence in the political system. The only way this can be achieved is by empowering committees to reform properly the functions for which they were formed and by appointing committee chairpersons and vice chairpersons on merit so that proper oversight of our political processes can take place. Committees are essential in order to investigate issues of public concern in a timely and cost-effective manner. The new structure for committees to be announced in the near future should provide investigative powers to committees to conduct inquiries and their findings should be enforceable in a court of law. These powers should include the power to compel witnesses, question witnesses in full public session and provide reports and recommendations. I support the reduction in the number of committees, as outlined by the Minister, in conjunction with strengthening of committee powers.

In a properly functioning modern democracy, it is essential that the business of government be open to scrutiny and that this scrutiny is not just for the sake of generating headlines. The task of reforming government is immense, but is essential to our democracy. We cannot continue to lumber through a system that is a not a proper service. We must remember that we are here as representatives of the people and tasked with representing their needs. This requires a radical overhaul of our system so as to ensure government works for the people and not itself.

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