Seanad debates

Wednesday, 29 January 2014

2:35 pm

Photo of Jim WalshJim Walsh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank my colleague for allowing me a few minutes to speak, and I also thank the Senators who tabled this motion. I support the broad principles of reform, although I do not support all the details in the proposal. All Senators in the House should be elected, as this is one way of getting away from group-think and the Government control of the Seanad through the very rigid Whip system. We can consider what happened during the economic collapse and wonder if we have learned anything. It was caused by a property bubble, an international downturn in property and the failure of regulatory authorities but there was also a significant failure of Parliament to hold the Government and Departments to account. In order to avoid a repeat of that, we should move to a system where all Members are elected.

The elephant in the room is Dail reform, which is much more urgent than Seanad reform. That said, I fully support Seanad reform, which is urgently required. I put it to the Government Chief Whip that the Government has systematically broken its programme for Government pledge not to guillotine Bills. A total of 63% of Bills have been guillotined to date. The ramming through of the Bill relating to Irish Water just before Christmas in a single day in the Lower House has led to an overstaffed conglomerate that is a profligate entity with total disregard for the hard-pressed taxpayer. The Government failed to implement its programme for Government commitment to allow for two weeks between Stages of Bills. Ministers only respond to little more than half the number of Topical Issues raised, which is evidence of disregard for the House. The Government continues to engage in cronyism in appointments made to State boards-----

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