Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I take it the Ministers want to read into their briefs over the coming week, but there is an urgent necessity for the Parliament to organise itself as well.

I ask that early next week the Whips of all parties meet with the Chief Whip to work out, for example, how many Oireachtas committees there will be. We need to get the committee system up and running as a matter of urgency. There has not been a proper Whip system in operation for the past two weeks and we have been quite tolerant of how debates have been organised in a haphazard manner regarding timing. It is important, coming out of what is happening at the Sub-committee on Dáil Reform, that early next week work can begin on identifying how many committees will be established, and their nature, so that we can organise ourselves in such a way that when the Dáil does come back we can start working effectively, efficiently and purposefully, and that debate takes place not for its own sake but with proper Ministers who are accountable to the House and who may be appointed this evening following the vote. That is extremely important. There is a great deal of work to be done next week to make sure that this Dáil and the Oireachtas are organised properly and effectively so that we can get down to business and get work done through the committee system as well as the plenary system.

The Taoiseach may also indicate a realignment of Departments in his speech, which is equally important for the committees that will be established to monitor and hold the Departments to account. That also has an impact on how the Opposition works. On that basis, we will not oppose the reconvening of the Dáil on Tuesday week, but we do think a lot of work needs to be done next week to get the Parliament in working order, which it is not at the moment.

See this speech in context