Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I join others in wishing Mr. Jimmy Walsh long life, health and happiness. Given how healthy and fit he is I have no doubt he will be among us for a long time to come and I wish him well in the future.

I wish to raise one issue on the Order of Business, namely, political reform.

We have concentrated in this House on Seanad reform, but we could usefully have a debate on political reform within this democracy. It is extraordinary that, five years after the biggest economic crash this country has ever experienced, there has been no focus on overall political reform. What we have are token gestures, such as reducing the number of Deputies by a very small number, a proposal to abolish the Seanad and the abolition of town councils. That is not political reform. That is destroying and dismantling our political structures to no political or democratic benefit. Recently, the Committee of Public Accounts, probably the most important committee of the Oireachtas, received the two fingers from senior officials in the Department of Health and the Department of Justice and Equality. It is an absolute disgrace. It is one thing to live under a political elite that has been elected but which might be out of touch, but it is entirely different to live under bureaucrats who are unelected and who feel they are above accountability to Members of the Oireachtas. It is totally unacceptable. I ask the Leader to arrange an urgent debate on this issue. It is fundamental to our society and to democracy in this country.