Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Okay, that is clear, and so do I. I accept the Government must engage with the public in a public discourse in this regard. That is the reason there will be a campaign by the parties in government about the abolition of the Seanad and the referendum commission will proceed to do its work independently. When I spoke on this subject at the MacGill summer school a number of years ago, reform of the Seanad was on my mind. However, on considering it, the more one looks at it, one either will end up with a minority discriminatory select system, such as one has at present, or with another version of this House. Consequently, the answer is one on which I agree with the Deputy, namely, we must do our business in this House far more effectively in the interests of openness, accountability and transparency. When I make an offer to talk to Deputy Martin, who is passing me by in the Chamber at present, he tells me it is too late. However, it is never too late because as someone who has been around this place for a long time, I have seen different versions and proposals for Dáil reform to make the place more effective over the years. Some have worked and some have not. I certainly am game ball, as is the Tánaiste.

We have already announced some of these proposals, such as use of the d'Hondt system for the dispensation of the new system of committee chairs to provide greater cross-sectional involvement in such committees. The Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Bill, which is going through the Houses at present, will allow for committees to undertake parliamentary inquiries into certain matters of major public importance and a separate administrative system will ensure this works. The intention is to appoint 14 Oireachtas committees. There will be four strategic committees on issues of major strategic and political importance, including the Committee of Public Accounts, finance and European Union scrutiny, which is an issue that always is raised. There will be seven sectoral committees to shadow Departments, as well as a number of thematic committees that will focus on specific issues, including the Ombudsman and petitions, the Good Friday Agreement and so on.

An important element of what is happening is that in the process of legislation going through this House, there will be a pre-enactment Stage before legislation is signed off on fully. The heads of the Bill will be approved by the Government and sent to the committee, which will send them back to the Government for the preparation of the Bill. Then there will be the Second Stage, Committee Stage and normal Report Stage debates. Thereafter, before the Bill is finally signed off, there will be a pre-enactment Stage to establish whether anything has been missed, whether something should have been attended to or whether some other issue has arisen but which had not been considered.

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