Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

I look forward to a discussion in the near future on the report of the Mahon tribunal. Such a debate is appropriate. It is equally appropriate and correct that the Government has referred the report to the various agencies of the State in the expectation that action will be taken where those agencies see fit. We are all disappointed at the pronouncements made in the report and the damage they inflict on politics. There has been a great deal of talk about standards in political life. It is an issue that is worthy of debate. I propose that we take time to discuss a variation on that theme, namely, the standard of politics. I submit, as I have often done, that our political system - which encompasses our electoral system, system of central government, and system of local government, or lack thereof - leads to a vacuum whereby poor political practice sometimes comes into play. While I appreciate that a constitutional convention will consider matters such as the electoral system, we in the modern Republic must reflect on the manner in which politics and political business are conducted. I refer to the relationship between the Government and Parliament, the absolute weakness of local government and the desire of one small group of politicians to hold onto all powers, irrespective of which party or parties may be in power at the time. While the question of standards in politics is worthy of debate, the standard of politics and the political system in this State has led to many of our problems. Moreover, subjects such as internal infighting among parties, with politicians chasing after one another at constituency level rather than attempting to run the country as they should be doing, also must be addressed in the cool light of day because they all are part of the same problem and, if addressed, will be part of the solution.