Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)

This is an extremely timely discussion. Since the inauguration of the new Dáil we have had a huge amount of talk on this issue but very little substance. We have had optics, starting with the early reconvening of the Dail, shorter holidays and all the rest but let us be clear that these are an utter nonsense. This will have no impact whatsoever on improving participation or evolving democratic debate and decision making, not to mind initiatives which would involve the public more in our decision-making process. It is shocking for new Deputies to come in here and see the archaic system that operates, the empty Chamber and the reading out of prepared speeches which somebody else probably wrote and which the speaker has not seen before. Earlier, we saw it with a Minister who had not even read the replies to parliamentary questions prior to coming into the Chamber. He then had no ability to intervene in debate. The system is in serious need of a radical overhaul.

We need to start on the outside. Let us consider the announcement made by the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn, who two days prior to the election told people to vote for him and he would ensure registration fees would not be increased. Yesterday, he stated fees will be €2,000.

Government Members contested the election telling people they would renegotiate the deal, that it was an obscenity and that they would write down the value of the bonds. People voted in their droves for them and against Fianna Fáil and the Green Party, but what they got was the exact same thing as what they voted against.

I agree that we live in an elected dictatorship where every four years we have the right to put a cross beside somebody's name who promises all sorts of things under the sun but who will, quite likely, come in and do the opposite. One has no right to recall these people. Any meaningful system of democratic accountability must have within it the right to recall and an opportunity to take people out there and then-----

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