Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Bill. It is a good initiative. The detail of the Bill is not important at this stage, as it can be debated and amended. The principle is absolutely first class, as is the motivation behind it. When the recession loomed in 2008, many Members of this House said democracy would be the first casualty of the economic recession. We are now seeing this happen, unfortunately. It has been said many times in this House that the Lower House is crying out for reform. The Government made a commitment in that regard, but its decision to reduce by eight the number of Deputies does not constitute reform. In the same way, its local government proposals do not constitute reform. When I say Ministers prefer not to be held to account, I do not confine my accusations to the Government because the same applied when we were in office. Ministers feel uncomfortable when they are put on the spot for the policies they are pursuing. In many instances, they are not able to deal with such queries. The less accountable they are, the happier they are and the happier the bureaucracy is also. It makes it easier for the permanent government to influence those who are serving in the transient Government. The control exerted in the Lower House through the rigid application of the Whip and on the Order of Business means that the number of Members of that House could be reduced substantially. If the Dáil were left to the members of the Government and a handful of others, the same results and outputs would be achieved. If one speaks to Senators, Deputies and Ministers of State about the Government, they will readily admit they have no power and very little influence in particular areas. Members of the Cabinet are now saying the same because power has become concentrated in a small elite group - three teachers and a former trade union official - known as the Economic Management Council which is taking decisions that the Constitution provides should be taken by the Government.