Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Independent) | Oireachtas source

-----but I do not believe in the Whip system for issues of conscience. I believe in it from the point of view of the allocation of resources and broad policy issues, for which one must have a Whip system. When I sat on the Government side of the House I voted for many policies and much legislation for which I did not like voting; who in his or her right mind would like to cut a respite grant? Equally, when I was in opposition for a number of years I voted against many Government proposals which were sensible and logical.

I do not for one moment purport to believe everyone on the Opposition side of the House is of one mind and holds the correct position while all in the Government are of the one mind and hold the incorrect position and vice versa. The House is made up of many diverse views. There are as many differences within political parties as there are across political parties and this should be recognised.

The standing and stock of politicians and our political system has never been lower since the foundation of the State, and there are a number of reasons for this. One is the fact that we in the House have given away power as a body in general. We have many fine organisations but they are not accountable. These include the NRA, Tourism Ireland, Irish Water, the HSE and An Bord Pleanála. We have abdicated our responsibility. We go in front of the electorate and ask it to vote for a strong voice in a constituency in Dublin or Wicklow, but when we come here we hand over power. We go to public meetings and tell people an issue is outside our remit and we have no control. Members of the public then wonder why they vote for us if we have no power or accountability. I would like to see power and accountability come back to the Oireachtas.

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