Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)

I congratulate my colleagues in the Technical Group on tabling the motion because the Government's response is interesting. It was with no great surprise that I noted the amendment begins, "To delete all words after 'Dáil Éireann'...". Almost every Opposition motion over the past three months has elicited the same response. Is there not a word or sentence in the motion in which the Government can see merit? The motion recognise the lack of intellectual and political debate in the Chamber and my colleagues have reflected this in the issues they raised regarding accountability in our election to the House.

The motion also recognises the need for change and attempts to generate a debate on this. For example, on this motion, two amendments have been tabled. The Technical Group has called for the abolition of the Whips system. Fianna Fáil opposed this and called for a balance between the rights of parties and their mandate and the mandate of Members but the Government amendment makes no reference to this issue. There has been little debate on this, which was interesting. I agree with Deputy Eoghan Murphy that proper debate and accountability to those who elected us in our communities and consideration of the expectation of change in society could change a Member's decision and way of thinking and how or whether he or she votes on an issue.

The motion calls for the provision of legal advice to Members but the Government amendment is silent on this. There is no argument against this and it has been referred to by the Government.

The system in the Chamber is archaic. It is a reflection of what Fianna Fáil did over the past 20 years.

We have oral questions, written questions, priority questions, questions on the Order of Business, questions on the Adjournment, questions to the Taoiseach and Leader's questions. In general, very few of those questions get a real answer in the Dáil Chamber.

There is a need for reform. There is a big influx of new, first-time Deputies. The question is whether we could bring a breath of fresh air into the Chamber, if we could bring experiences that are more relevant to the lives and attitudes of the ordinary people who elected us and who we know. Could we bring in a new and more relevant way of conducting debate, scrutinising legislation and holding the Government to account? That is what is needed.

The last paragraph of the Government amendment reads: "[The new Government] 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". The sentiment clashes sharply with the reality of the Government's response to the motion. I am far from confident that any real change or reform will happen. Real reform or change will stem from the point made by Deputy Healy about accountability to the electorate and how we are judged on the basis of what we said before the election and doing something different when we get into the Dáil Chamber.

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