Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Government believes that a second chamber is no more necessary here in Ireland than it is in other small unitary states.

In addition, the Seanad is an outdated institution. The theory on which it is based is no longer relevant and its composition does not reflect modern society. Maintaining a House of Parliament that is produced by the electoral and nomination system that produces the Seanad is simply not defensible.

Some Deputies argued that we should not seek to abolish the Seanad until we have tackled other areas of reform. In fact, the truth is that we have been, and are, carrying out extensive reform over a wide range of areas. The proposed abolition of the Seanad is part of the Government's comprehensive programme of political reform. We aim to make our system more accountable, more democratic and more responsive, and to put people's faith and hope back into Irish politics. We have embarked on the biggest package of political reform since the passing of the Constitution in 1937. We have established the Convention on the Constitution to consider a range of areas in the Constitution, and we have given a commitment that the Government will respond, in the Dáil and Seanad, to the convention's recommendations within four months of receiving them.

Our reform of local Government is the most radical in over 100 years. It will reduce the number of local authorities but widen the role and functions of councils and give them a greater involvement in economic development and enterprise support. It will also reduce the number of councillors, from 1,600 to 950. On the broader front, we will see many more powers being devolved from agencies of the State and from Departments to local level. We have published Action Plan for Jobs, and we publish regular reports on how we are implementing it. We have introduced measures to reform legal services, to deal with personal insolvency and to get our banks lending again. We have cut the size and cost of our public service and we are transforming the way it works.

We are overhauling the health system and making major changes to the education system. We said we would cut the donations that could be made to political parties, including corporate donations, and link State funding with a gender balance that better reflected what was happening in the real world. That legislation was passed last year. We said we would bring forward legislation to protect whistleblowers, extend freedom of information legislation, enable the Dáil to hold inquiries and regulate lobbying, all of which we are doing.

Deputies also argued that we should reform the Dáil before holding a referendum to abolish the Seanad. Of course, the truth is that we have been active on Dáil reform, too. While I accept that more needs to be done, we have increased the number of Dáil sitting days, as well as making it easier for backbench and Opposition Deputies to bring forward legislation and raise important issues. In tandem with the abolition of the Seanad, we are proposing further changes to strengthen the role of the Dáil. We will reform the way in which it deals with legislation. Legislation will first be submitted to the relevant Dáil committee in heads of Bill format. This means that suggestions for changes to legislation can be considered and any key flaws identified before the full legislation is even published. To allow for extra consideration and scrutiny of legislation in the Dáil, a new schedule will increase the time allocated to legislation. Each Bill will be referred back to the committee that originally considered it for a final examination. A Minister will have to revert to the relevant Dáil committee within 12 months of the enactment of a Bill to review and discuss its functioning and effectiveness. This new legislative process will ensure legislation is fully considered before, during and after its enactment.

Several Deputies mentioned the importance of improving the committee system. The Government is working on this front also. We will empower committees to carry out investigations and inquiries into matters of major public importance. The legislation to give effect to this has recently been published. We are also proposing to radically overhaul the Dáil committee system. A total of 14 Dáil committees will be established. Each committee will have 12 members and be able to invite external experts to provide a specialist input into its work. To strengthen the independence of committees, we will introduce the d'Hondt system to distribute the chairs of key committees on a proportional and equitable basis.

Many Deputies suggested the question of what to do about the Seanad should be referred to the convention on the Constitution. I acknowledge the work done by the convention. There was a good deal of scepticism about the idea of having the convention before it started its work. However, there is widespread acknowledgement that it has worked well. I compliment its chair, Mr. Tom Arnold, and his team and the members of the convention, especially the citizen members, on their work to date. The convention is dealing with items on which the Government did not take a position in its programme. However, our programme is very clear about the Seanad. We said we would put before the people a referendum to abolish the Seanad. We are doing just that.

As has been said by Deputies on all sides, there have been many reports on the Seanad during the years. The fundamental question, however, is whether 21st century Ireland needs a second Chamber. The Government believes we do not and is putting that view to the ultimate arbiters, the people. In a similar vein, some Members were pressing for the Government to reform the Seanad rather than propose its abolition. However, as I have said, the programme for Government gives a clear commitment to put the abolition of the Seanad before the people in a referendum. That is what we are proposing to do. It is interesting that we are discussing the abolition of the Seanad and people are talking about reform. The Government's position is crystal clear: we are proposing its abolition. In this context, it is interesting to note the unanimity in the House on one issue, namely, that the Seanad, as currently constituted, is not defensible. An assembly with 43 seats elected by a tiny electorate, with six seats elected by an incomplete electorate and 11 seats nominated by the Taoiseach just cannot be defended.

It was somewhat interesting to hear people describing the proposal for a referendum as a power grab by the Taoiseach and the Government. In fact, the Taoiseach is proposing that the people should remove from him the power to nominate nearly one fifth of the second Chamber. It should also be noted that the referendum in the autumn will be the first time since 1937 that the entire electorate, not just a small fraction of it, will have a vote on the Seanad. This is remarkable. At last, we are asking the whole electorate whether we should keep or abolish the Seanad. I, as well as the Government, believe it should be abolished and we believe the people will agree with us.

Deputy Andrew Doyle made a technical point about the Bill, proposing that the holder of the position of Leas-Cheann Comhairle be automatically re-elected to ensure full membership of the Presidential Commission through a general election. This is not necessary as there is a Supreme Court judgment to the effect that the outgoing holders of the posts of Ceann Comhairle and Leas-Cheann Comhairle must be taken to survive in office for the purposes of the Presidential Commission.

I commend the Bill to the House.

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