Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am sharing time with Deputy Harris.

I welcome the opportunity to comment on this Bill and on political reform generally, which has been mentioned by some Members. It has been already mentioned that if the last Administration were in power, the Dáil would have risen last week and would not sit again until probably the first week in February. It would rise again for another fortnight shortly afterwards. One tangible change since the current Government took office is that the recesses are shorter. That gives rise to other issues. We all have constituencies and there is an expectation in those constituencies that we should be there too. However, we must step up and be counted because ultimately we have an obligation to be here in the Chamber.

What was remarkable for me in the past three weeks was the absence of most Members of the Opposition on the Mondays and Fridays when the House sat. It is regrettable. The very people who are crowing from the rooftops that the Dáil is not sitting for meaningful discussions were notable for their absence when those meaningful discussions were taking place. That happens a lot with many Members of the Opposition. As a new Deputy, I have often spoken in the Dáil on various issues when the opposition benches were empty. It happens on many occasions. Ultimately, the Opposition has as much of an obligation as the Government to ensure the Chamber functions. In fairness, many government backbenchers make very constructive contributions, sometimes saying what the Opposition would agree with. However, it is very difficult for a government backbencher to look across the floor and see more than 80 empty seats, without even a front bench spokesperson or even deputy spokesperson from either Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin or the Technical Group present.

Today is an exception, probably because we are talking about money in the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill. It has sparked a great deal of interest in many different groups. Suddenly, receipts are being requested. It is disappointing that so many Members chirp a great deal about how effective are the Government, Oireachtas and Dáil, yet they nearly take the doors off their hinges to get out of here on a Monday or Friday. It is up to them to organise their business and ensure their benches are manned.

As Deputy Feighan said, the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission has made savings in the time since he became a Member. However, I am not aware of any other parliament in the world that has a political party that is represented in two sovereign parliaments and takes a totally different approach in the two parliaments under the same flag of convenience. Sinn Féin Members talk about so-and-so getting this and so-and-so getting that and declare it is absolutely desperate. They complain about the cost of Ministers, chairmen and this and that. However, at least in this Parliament the party's Members turn up to work, whereas in the other sovereign parliament in which Sinn Féin has representation its members do not turn up at all. The cost of their non-participation in that parliament in 2011 was €697,000.

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