Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)

I move amendment No. 2:

To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following:

- notes that the new Government is committed to extensive political and Dáil reform as outlined in the programme for Government;

- commends the Government for introducing immediate changes such as:

- a reduction in remuneration for the Taoiseach and Government Ministers;

- new arrangements in relation to ministerial transport to reduce its cost and to free up Garda resources; and

- radically overhauling arrangements for appointing senior civil servants by the Top Level Appointments Committee, TLAC, in order that the chairperson and the majority of TLAC members will be drawn from outside the public sector;

- commends the Government for agreeing to produce vital legislation shortly to:

- set up the Constituency Boundary Commission as a first step to reducing the number of TDs;

- reduce the Presidential election spending limit;

- introduce a six month time limit to hold by-elections; and

- effectively ban corporate political donations, lower personal political donation thresholds and increase transparency in respect of all political donations;

- notes that the Government intends to prioritise further proposals for reform such as:

- establishing a constitutional convention to consider wide ranging issues for political and constitutional reform;

- extending the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 to 2003;

- introducing whistleblowers legislation;

- establishing an independent fiscal council;

- referenda proposals to give Oireachtas committees powers of investigation and for the abolition of the Seanad; and

- enhancing the democratic process by involving Members at an earlier stage of the legislative process via Oireachtas committees, particularly before Bills are published;

- recognises that the local government system has an important role in enhancing the welfare and quality of life of communities and can make a substantial contribution to the national recovery effort;

- endorses the extensive commitments in the programme for Government to renew and develop the local government system;

- acknowledges the progress made to date in improving efficiency in the local government sector and the establishment of an independent implementation group to implement relevant recommendations of the local government efficiency review group report:

- notes the intention to publish a policy statement outlining proposals for the development and reform of local government; and

- calls on parties and members in the Dáil to engage constructively with ongoing discussions on Dáil reform with the aim of implementing a package of reforms in the House from September.

As Minister with responsibility for public expenditure and reform, I am pleased to have the opportunity to take part in this debate to highlight the challenges we face in the area of reform, some of which have been referred to by previous speakers, and the actions the Government has taken to date and intends to take. We have been in office for less than three months and the reforms we have laid out are the most radical ever proposed by an incoming Government.

Debates during Private Members' business are often occasions of disagreement between the Government and the Opposition, but on this occasion I am struck by the extent to which I am in agreement with the Opposition motion. I agree that the unqualified and urgent desire of the people is to rebuild Ireland's political system into an effective, accountable, transparent, representative and participatory institution. I agree that there is a critical need for immediate and meaningful Oireachtas and local government reform. I agree that Dáil Éireann has a clear constitutional role to hold the Executive to account and must be given the capacity to do so. The Government is committed to overhauling the way government works. We are committed to ensuring the Executive is held to account and seen to be held to account.

Where I disagree with the motion - let us get this out of the way - is in its reference to the party Whip system. Political parties are, at their heart, alliances of like-minded people, as Deputy Clare Daly will know, who agree to work together in pursuance of shared goals and visions. We organise publicly, campaign publicly and put our agreed, negotiated platform within our organisations before the people in general elections in the same manner as independent candidates. In fact, not all Independents are as comprehensive in the packages they put forward. The people offer us support on that basis. When no single party commands a majority in the House, parties work together in the public interest to forge a common platform.

We take the party Whip voluntarily and with pride to work together in the common interest. The Technical Group works together as a unit and has presented this motion as a unit, but its members' analysis of the issue is quite varied. One Deputy who spoke tonight wants to abolish the Seanad, another wants to reform it; one Deputy wants to retain the local government system, another wants to fire 75% of local councillors-----

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