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

I agree with Deputy Healy that PR is probably one of the most progressive electoral systems in the world; it is much better than the first-past-the-post model used in other countries. I would argue strongly that it be maintained. The issue is what Members do when they are elected. We are seriously lacking in two areas in trying to change the way we work. The first is the use of the Whips, which Deputy Donnelly addressed, and the second is accountability. There is no accountability to the electorate over the five-year electoral cycle and that is a significant issue for ordinary people. They feel they elect Members on a particular programme or agenda but when they get into government, that all changes. Citizens do not have the ability to recall party representatives, and this must be addressed. In America, where the first-past-the-post system is used, accountability is easier with the use of petitions through which, once a threshold of constituents is reached, a politician can be recalled. This is crucial to the our form of parliamentary democracy, which is not something I support. I favour more power for local government.

Deputy Donnelly referred to the tabling of amendments and Ministers having the sole right to bring in legislation that has the potential to impose a cost on the State. I tabled an amendment to the personal insolvency legislation which provided for the introduction of the Norwegian model, which was a progressive way of dealing with insolvency. It was ruled out of order without debate. What are we here for if we cannot propose and debate alternatives? The amendment was struck off the agenda and we were not allowed to speak on it. That is a failure in our parliamentary system.

Deputy Healy mentioned the boundary issue. The boundaries were changed prior to the 2009 local elections. Previously, the Ballyfermot ward comprised Bluebell, Inchicore, Chapelizod and Ballyfermot, while the Crumlin-Kimmage ward comprised Drimnagh, Walkinstown, Crumlin, Kimmage and Terenure up to Harold's Cross, and the south west inner city ward comprised Kilmainham, Christchurch and one side of Clanbrassil Street, including the Tenters. These were natural boundaries, but they were changed and 4,000 out of 5,000 households in Drimnagh were unilaterally cut off and transferred to the Bluebell area. The natural boundary for this part of Drimnagh was cut off and people were given a new area office to deal with. The same happened in my area with the boundary for Dublin Bay South and Dublin South Central. An unnatural line has been imposed on Parnell Road, meaning the area along one side of Clogher Road into Rutland Avenue and up Sundrive Road has been taken out and put into Dublin Bay South. It is an unnatural alliance for the community. I have been asked by the people in the area to strenuously point out in the House that these changes should not happen and natural boundaries should be looked at first. These issues should be addressed, and it is a little late to debate them after the fact.

The deal is done. We cannot make any amendments to this legislation, only speak to it which is another serious flaw of this Parliament.

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