Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The views of Members opposite are valuable. The debate between the Whips will continue and suggestions that were made will be passed on to the Chief Whip.

The point is to make the Oireachtas more accountable and to make Ministers more accountable, both in committee and in the Dáil. On the timetable for legislation, if it is clear when it is published and, given the nature of it, that some pieces of legislation will be exceptional, one will know exactly what is going to happen, when the Stages will be taken, the role of the Committee and the importance of the interaction with the legislation.

I can remember in the past, in the previous Government, that a long Bill, perhaps with 120 pages, would have been introduced to the House on a Monday and be dispatched by the following Wednesday. Nobody even had time to read it, never mind understand what was in it. I doubt if the Minister knew because sometimes one gets dozens of amendments coming in, even on Report Stage. Inefficiency is at the heart of that. The good aspect was that we trusted the Civil Service and the legal advisers on what was in that legislation. Notwithstanding that we did not have due time in the Oireachtas to deal with it, there was a significant element of trust, which is a strong plus in terms of the advice we receive.

There needs to be greater scrutiny of legislation and greater scrutiny of Ministers. That is good and positive for democracy and this Government is ensuring that.

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