Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

The problem is we are talking about two different things. The Minister of State has rightly said that either House of the Oireachtas can debate any of the reports that come from the NESF, but that is not the issue. What we attempt to do with our amendment is to re-engineer the process so that at its start both Houses will concentrate on its priorities. We have complete control as to what reports from the NESF can be debated, but that is not the issue. The issue is that we need some control at the start of the process. By doing that we will have much greater ownership over the process.

The Minister of State made the point that a key aspect of a programme for Government would be an agreement between the Government and the social partners. In a sense, with the election of a Taoiseach to any new Dáil, we are electing a programme for Government. However, what happens midway through the life of a Dáil when a new deal is formed between the social partners and the Government? At that point the Government is not seeking a new mandate, but simply putting into effect an agreement made with the social partners.

In so far as the work of both Houses is concerned, it would be more sensible, realistic and inclusive to have a process whereby the Houses of the Oireachtas could set the terms upon which the general framework of an agreement is formed. This would be more inclusive as it would not just involve the Government and backbenchers, but also the Opposition. It would get over the difficulty we have had since the beginning, the sense that the people do not have ownership of the process. That is the intention behind our amendment, which would re-engineer the process and give greater control to both Houses.

I do not wish to take away from the excellent work done by the 15 Oireachtas Members of research groups already involved. Their work is very important. They inform themselves and their colleagues about the issues involved in partnership, but that is not the point. We do not want to be just a debating chamber for any report that comes from the NESF. We want some ownership of the process. By not accepting our amendment, the Government fails to re-engineer the process and make it more inclusive and democratic.