Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That was when we introduced some Dáil reform. The leader of the Fianna Fáil Party did not even contribute to that debate, which indicated his interest in Dáil reform after being appointed leader of Fianna Fáil. No parliament is perfect and the process of parliamentary reform is always ongoing. For many Deputies in the Chamber elected before 2011, like me, the changes introduced to date by this Government have significantly enhanced their role. Deputies can now draft their own legislation and have it debated in the Dáil.

They can engage in a pre-legislative review in committee, approach the Ceann Comhairle if they are unhappy with the answer to a parliamentary question and raise Topical Issues. These are just the first steps in the Dáil reform process.

The programme for Government outlines an ambitious agenda for Oireachtas reform to be introduced on a phased basis over the lifetime of the Government. The number of Dáil sitting days has been increased significantly by reducing the length of Dáil recesses. The first phase of Dáil reforms introduced in the summer of 2011 included an additional Leaders' Questions session on Thursdays; Topical Issue debates which replaced the Adjournment debate; Friday sittings to allow Deputies to introduce their own Bills; and a restructuring of the Oireachtas committee system by reducing the number of committees from 25 to 16 and providing for a system of pre-legislative review. In the summer of 2012 further reforms to the Oireachtas committee system streamlined the structure and allowed an additional focus on areas such as job creation and agriculture. These new Standing Orders are the next phase of the Dáil reform programme.

I refer to more public involvement in law-making. A pre-legislative stage before an Oireachtas committee will be a requirement for all non-emergency legislation. This will allow Deputies to consult experts, civic society groups and other citizens on proposed legislation before it is drafted. A Minister who does not bring a Bill to a committee for a pre-legislative stage will have to explain the reason to the Dáil. There will be an annual outline to the Dáil of Government priorities. The Taoiseach and the Tánaiste will address the Dáil setting out the Government's annual priorities. Each Minister will also address the Dáil setting out his or her Department's plans for the future. Oireachtas committees will have a greater role in the budgetary process. Committees can review the Stability Programme update and report to Departments before the budget. For the first time they can consider budget proposals and the Estimates before any money is spent.

There are measures to improve the legislative process. The new Dáil schedule will increase the length of daily sittings and the time available to debate legislation. The drafting and enactment process will be modernised. These steps will result in a reduction in the use of the guillotine. The Dáil will sit every second Friday to debate Private Members' Bills and committee reports. This will allow more Deputies to have their Bills debated in the Dáil and give a greater profile to committee reports. The Minister or a Minister of State from the relevant Department will respond to Topical Issue debates. Where this does not happen, the Deputy can either defer the debate until a Minister from that Department is available, when it will be given priority, or have it taken on the day allocated. For Dáil questions, the Deputy tabling an oral question must be in the Chamber when the matter is reached. The Deputy will be given a brief period to outline the question before the Minister replies. Opposition spokespersons will no longer nominate questions in the name of other Deputies but will have additional questions in their own name.

In legislative debates in the Chamber on First Stage the proposer of a Private Members' Bill will have five minutes to outline the purpose of the Bill. On Second Stage the Chairman or Vice Chairman of the committee which considered the Bill at pre-legislative stage shall have a speaking slot to report to the Dáil. At the end of the Second Stage debate 45 minutes will be allowed for concluding remarks by Deputies who have previously spoken, as chosen by the Ceann Comhairle. In a post-legislative review process a Minister will report to the relevant Oireachtas committee within 12 months of a Bill's enactment in order to review the Act.

Dáil reform is an ongoing process and work has already started on the next phase. I look forward to working on it with the members of the sub-committee on Dáil reform. Each Member of the House has an interest in this area and I am happy to consider any suggestion for Dáil reform from any individual Deputy, party or group. It is in all our interests and those of the people we serve to have a modern reformed Dáil.

See this speech in context