Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

We have managed to secure speaking time through the tremendous intervention and good offices of the Ceann Comhairle and we have a slot during debates but we have motions tabled regarding committee membership. The Tánaiste has said on a number of occasions that we can attend committee meetings but if we want to take a real part in the committee, we must be voting members. That is denied to us. We are also denied speaking time during Priority Questions and Leaders' Questions. Given the calibre of some of the Independent Members, we would have a beefed up and spruced up Leaders' Questions debate if a voice from our benches could raise issues directly with the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste. If this was a seriously reformed Dáil, provision would be made for this large group of Members who are outside the current party or group structure.

I welcome the comments on the budget and Estimates debates. It has been a farce for a number of decades. We used to discuss the Estimates for a budget that had been announced eight or nine months previously, which was ludicrous. In other parliaments such as the Dutch Parliament, all members or groups are involved in discussion and have an input before a Minister comes forward with an outline budget. We are a long way from that, particularly this year because of the two-pack. What will Europe and the Bundestag say about our budget? Will the Bundestag be happy with next year's budget? Would we have even had the changes that were made this year to the budgetary process if we did not have the two-pack?

I support my colleague regarding the abstain button. I have abstained once or twice when I could not vote in favour of something and that should be logged.

With regard to the earlier sitting times, I appreciate what the Minister of State said. We appreciate the work rural Members do and the life they have but perhaps the late sittings, even until 9 p.m., could be examined given that many Members living within a reasonable radius of Dublin have the opportunity to return to their families at night. I agree with the Minister of State that he must strike the correct balance in order that every Member has a proper opportunity.

We must also return to the issue of holding effective Oireachtas inquiries. I look forward to the banking inquiry getting under way so many years after all this damage was done to our country perhaps under the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform but we need to revisit the referendum on the Abbeylara judgment because a small group of legal and corporate vested interests mounted a vicious campaign when the country was otherwise engaged to defeat the will of the people and the House, which was to thoroughly investigate major scandals and issues of the day.

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