Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)

In the previous general election the public voted in large numbers for both Labour and Fine Gael who are now the Government parties. They have promised us real reform. I look forward to engaging with the process also with my colleagues in the Technical Group and all Opposition parties.

Not much zeal is evident for reform at present. It is difficult to get meaningful answers in the House or to have meaningful discussions and the approach to business is restrictive. A number of practices are totally archaic. One such practice is the raising of matters under section 32 requiring the suspension of Standing Orders to discuss an issue of national importance. Whether there is one matter or three or four the Ceann Comhairle - whom I would not dare to criticise - rejects them all. That has been the case with previous incumbents also. It is tokenism at the very least to be allowed to raise an issue but one does not get a response. That is a poor situation. The same is true of Adjournment debates. I pick these examples by way of illustration. Again, they are pretty meaningless because the answer is prepared before one speaks on the matter. One cannot have any debate or discourse on the matter. One puts one's case in five minutes and the reply takes approximately five minutes also. One is not allowed to ask for clarification.

In his speech the Minister of State referred to radical reform of the system of government which would involve changes at constitutional and political level. That is all fine and dandy but we will wait until we see it. The number of committees is to be cut. I compliment my Whip, Deputy Catherine Murphy, on the job she is doing. It appears from the list of committees that the Opposition will only get a pittance. If there was serious intent on behalf of the Government it would show goodwill and at least offer a number of committee Chairs, other important positions and more places to the Opposition because of the Government's significant majority. It already has a huge majority in the Dáil, but will also have a majority on most of the committees.

While there is good debate in committees, the outcome will always be the same while the Government has a majority. It could, therefore, allow for a slimmer majority and allow more Opposition Deputies be involved in committees in which they have an interest. I understand the number of committees is being reduced but the number of committee members has increased. The Government should allow for that or we will not get real reform.

The public voted for a significant change, but they are becoming disenchanted because they are not getting that change. The previous speaker on the Government side mentioned the economic policies of the previous Government and the ideas that people on this side of the House had at the time, but those ideas were not sought. There is no change this time. Our ideas are not sought and we are not allowed to have a good debate on the issues. Our Whip had a document this morning which mentioned a proposed change for Tuesday mornings, which would allow time for topical issues to be raised. That is a necessary change. The current system is archaic in that we cannot raise issues of national or significant local importance.

Last night I submitted a motion for debate on the Adjournment today on the closure of a viable post office in Bansha, County Tipperary. This is a huge issue because the post office there serves a huge hinterland. Other rural post offices have closed in the past and many of their customers use the Bansha post office. However, I have been told again today by the Office of the Ceann Comhairle that the Minister has no responsibility for An Post. The current Government promised it would get rid of that type of response. When it was in Opposition, we had a situation where the Minister with responsibility for health would not answer any question on health. Any questions submitted got the response that the Minister had no responsibility for the HSE. We were promised a change in that regard.

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