Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Given some of the utterances in committee by some members, one can understand that there would be a reluctance on the part of the general public to give more powers to the Oireachtas. However, I am a firm believer in the capacity of the Oireachtas to do the people's business. Grandstanding, as Senator Byrne put it, is often a substitute for not having actual power to do things. It happens in local authorities as well. If, however, they are given power to do the business, they do not have to grandstand.

I do not believe that Members of the Oireachtas are any different from British MPs or members of the US Congress, or any other parliaments that do this as a matter of routine. They hold inquiries, make findings and take decisions as part of doing the people's business of scrutiny and accountability. I do not confuse that, as the Senator has, with the robustness of debate on the Order of Business or Taoiseach's Questions. At Westminster, one can have skin and hair flying during Prime Minister's Questions, but that does not negate the possibility of the same people doing a discrete job of work in a committee room, without bias or bringing in those particular issues.

That is important. I do not accept that the tribunal of inquiry model is a better one, certainly not for this purpose.