Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

In September last year, the then Taoiseach, Teachta Kenny, spoke in the Dáil about the need to improve communications between Ministers and their Departments. He outlined how, to facilitate this approach, a parliamentary liaison unit was established. He specifically said that it was to facilitate an enhanced relationship between the Government and the Oireachtas.

More recently this role of improving communications between the Ministers and the Opposition spokespersons has disappeared completely, as it did today, from any definition of the unit. Can the Taoiseach explain if the parliamentary liaison unit has any role in engaging with the Opposition parties or Members on the preparation of legislation as set out by his predecessor?

Could he also outline to the Dáil his current thinking on Seanad reform? The Manning report was published in April 2015. The former Taoiseach wrote to party leaders last year seeking nominations. We nominated Seanadóir Rose Conway-Walsh. There has been no contact with her since then.

The programme for Government, which is now 18 months old, contains a commitment to pursue the implementation of the Manning report as a priority. I wrote to the Taoiseach on this issue in August and in a reply to me in October he said he would be contacting party leaders with a view to having the group up and running as soon as possible. He also said the implementation group would be up in the next few weeks. Two months later, no one has been in touch with me and neither have I seen any evidence of the implementation group being established or the chairperson being identified. Will the Taoiseach undertake to liaise with Opposition parties to expedite this matter early in the new year? He also said in his response earlier that the parliamentary liaison unit was communicating with the chief strategist of the Independent Alliance. Does the Taoiseach know the name of this strategist and if so could he give it to the Dáil?

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