Fiach MacConghail (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State might say so but I could not possibly comment.

I was very impressed by the Leader's elegant and eloquent defence of the Seanad the other day within millimetres of his boss, the Taoiseach. I urge other Members to read the Leader's remarks because they were very smart and intelligent. I suspect I know how he will vote if this Bill is passed and the question is put before the people.

I mentioned "Four Roads to Glenamaddy" as a metaphor earlier. There are four roads in terms of political reform. It really is disheartening and depressing to think that this Government came into power on a tidal wave of reform, a sense that it could re-imagine Irish politics and heighten that level of trust and participation between citizens and the Oireachtas and yet it is taking quite a piecemeal and disruptive approach to political reform. The first of the four roads is the Presidency. We are looking to reduce the term of office of the President, a matter which was discussed at the Constitutional Convention.

The second road is Dáil reform which has been really piecemeal. It was interesting to hear somebody as moderate as Deputy Charlie Flanagan, who is chairman of the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party, being quite clear and critical of his own Government not only in regard to the progress of reform but the depth of it. The famous Friday sittings - I am reminded of the catch phrase "It's Friday, it's five to five and it's Crackerjack" - do not, in any way, prove that the Fine Gael and Labour Party Government is interested in reform because those sittings are not a coherent response to reform.

The third road is the committees. Potentially, the committees are the one area in which real engagement and real action can occur. I have had the privilege of sitting with Senator Labhrás Ó Murchú on the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht and for the year and a half before Christmas, we watched the brief of six or seven Ministers. Clearly, there are not enough committees. I would not hold the popular view that we need fewer politicians. If anything, we need a sufficient number of politicians to do the work. The committee system, as it operates, disincentivises Deputies and Senators from investing in the work as there are no votes there because of the fourth road to Glenamaddy, local government reform. There is still a sense that Deputies and Senators need to spend more time in their constituencies dealing with important work.

I am not in any way undermining that but the time to spend on policy and research is quite limited. The engagement and the level of expertise at the committee level should be greater, and there should be more committees. I can see the possibility of improved committee structures leading to greater trust, engagement and deliberation on legislation.

The nearest I have come to what could be called non-adversarial and constructive politics are debates in the Seanad. I know there is difficult legislation ahead of us in the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill but I know we will respect each other's views. There will be grave concern and disagreements but the process will work in a way that will show manners and respect. I can see this at committee level too, although some reform is necessary. The problem is we are being asked to assess this Bill when critical political reform is non-existent in other areas of our parliamentary democracy, which is a concern. We are being asked to vote on this either on a nod and a wink or as a promise without evidence of political reform.

I have been quite proud of the Constitutional Convention and I previously worked on the We the Citizens programme, which showed how such a convention can work. I know Senators Norris and Zappone wanted to amend the work of the committee but could not because the Oireachtas agreed a work programme. One of my amendments to the Bill was rejected as being out of order, and I got the notice this morning although I put the amendment in last Friday. I prepared a long speech but I cannot give it.