Results 10,621-10,640 of 17,012 for speaker:Paul Kehoe

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)

Paul Kehoe: We have provided a pre-legislative system and introduced the examination of economic recovery by Oireachtas committees. Last September saw the introduction of the pre-legislative phase at committee level, there was First Stage of-----

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)

Paul Kehoe: -----Private Members' Bills and an array of other changes that we have introduced in only two and a half years. Deputy Martin sat at the Cabinet table from June 1997 until March 2011, yet the only changes that Government made were the introduction of Leaders' Questions and the abolition of the dual mandate. I am not surprised that he is sitting silently in the Chair.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)

Paul Kehoe: I welcome the Deputy's admission of his Government's lack of Dáil reform in those years. The Deputy also mentioned water charges. He is trying to twist matters, but people will know well in advance of the local and European elections what they will be charged for water. The Taoiseach has stated this in the Chamber numerous times.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)

Paul Kehoe: The Deputy has lost his memory. He had it for many years while in government, but now that he is in opposition, he wants to do everything that he claims he would have loved to have done in government, even though he had been there for 14 years.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)

Paul Kehoe: It is amazing that someone would lecture the House on Dáil reform after admitting that the former Government only introduced two changes, one of which was Leaders' Questions. In fairness, the late Mr. Seamus Brennan is the man who introduced Leaders' Questions. He was instrumental.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)

Paul Kehoe: I admired him for doing so.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)

Paul Kehoe: He finished as Whip-----

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)

Paul Kehoe: -----in 2001 or 2002. No changes were made from 2002 onwards. It is amazing, but I will rest my case that Deputy Martin has done-----

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)

Paul Kehoe: -----very little in the past 16 years, including when he was sitting at the Cabinet table and had a great opportunity to do so. I have not addressed Deputy Durkan's comments.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)

Paul Kehoe: He referred to pre-legislation, scrutiny and so on. It is increasing the workload of committees. The Deputy referred to the guillotine, which I am addressing. Only three Bills were guillotined in the session from September to December 2013. There is room for improvement but no Bill has been guillotined since January this year. It is important not to have guillotines in order to give every...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)

Paul Kehoe: It is true. The Deputy should check the record. I was Opposition Chief Whip since 2004 and I can assure the Deputy that I have looked back at the record. Every Social Welfare Bill since I came into this House in 2002 has been guillotined. We spoke about the Constitutional Convention and the debates coming up. We are making time available. The convention reported back to the Minister...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)

Paul Kehoe: I did not look at the minutes but at the agenda topics.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)

Paul Kehoe: I withdraw what I said regarding the minutes. They were the topics on the agenda.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)

Paul Kehoe: I withdraw what I said. I said the topics on the agenda.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)

Paul Kehoe: Maybe if the Deputy had looked at them seriously-----

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)

Paul Kehoe: I will start with the last question first. Deputy Mathews sat in the same room as me in April 2011 and supported the programme for Government, which included the referendum to abolish the Seanad. I have a fairly good memory. I do not remember him standing up at that meeting to object to it, although I know hindsight is a great thing.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)

Paul Kehoe: With regard to the leadership of parties, the iron fist, democracy and everything like that, maybe now that you are in a new party, you might be able to-----

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)

Paul Kehoe: In his membership of a new party, Deputy Mathews might be able to steer the leadership of that party into a less, as he puts it, iron-fisted approach.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)

Paul Kehoe: He has an opportunity to do that now he is in a new party. I look forward to that. I thank Deputy Ó Snodaigh for welcoming some of the changes. I also thank him for his participation in the process. It was a joint approach by all involved, and some of his proposals were taken on board, as were the views of other Members. I thank Deputy Ó Snodaigh for the extensive submission...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Political Reform (11 Mar 2014)

Paul Kehoe: They could place it on the Order Paper where it would be left, but to have it debated in the Chamber every second Friday is a great opportunity for Deputies. In the past, if a back bench Deputy wanted to bring forward a Private Members' Bill, he or she could place it on the Order Paper where it remained for years and they never had an opportunity to debate it. The Opposition parties, be it...