Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have knowledge of litigation where nobody could get the rules of a particular political party. It might be closer to the Cathaoirleach’s home than to mine. Nobody could get the rules for the purposes of deciding the case. They could not go to the head office and obtain a copy of the rules. I know this situation has obtained for some time. It is bad enough for a member of the party not to be able to know the rules. If I am voting for a group of people who are organised in a particular way, surely I am entitled to know how they are organised and who calls the shots in the party.

Given that existing political parties will be deemed to be registered in any event, what we are doing is introducing a requirement that newly registered political parties will have to prove that the organisation and direction of the party are governed by a constitution, memorandum of association, other documents or written rules adopted by the party that provide for what is set out in section 44. Given this is the case, why can we not know? What possible reason could there be? If a party’s rules are changed, with different people in it having different powers, it should be made public. I cannot see any good reason it should not be done. No case can be made for privacy with regard to a party's rules.