Seanad debates
Thursday, 24 October 2002
Sub-committee of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges: Motion (Resumed).
There are many other things that the Seanad could do. We have to remember that there ought to be a tension between Parliament and Government in a properly functioning democracy. Reality dictates that a Government will try to build a parliamentary majority, but the theory is that there should be a tension between it and Parliament, as the Government is accountable to Parliament. It is probably constitutionally incorrect to imply that any Minister is accountable to the Seanad, but most Ministers accept a degree of scrutiny in this House and we would serve our purposes well if we extended and formalised that scrutiny.
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