Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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44. To ask the Taoiseach when he will honour the programme for Government commitment to amend Dáil Standing Orders to ensure that replies to written parliamentary questions are furnished during Dáil recess. [35506/14]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government sets out an ambitious Oireachtas Reform agenda, which will be implemented over the lifetime of the Government on a phased basis.

The first phase of Reform was introduced in 2011 and included:

- An additional Leader’s Questions session on Thursdays.

- Monthly Friday sittings to give TDs the opportunity to have their own Private Members Bills debated in the Dáil.

- Topical Issues Debates replacing the adjournment debates

- A procedure to allow Deputies raise issues regarding replies to Parliamentary Questions with the Ceann Comhairle.

- Reducing the number of Oireachtas Committees from 25 to 16.

- Introducing a Pre-Legislative Review structure to involve Oireachtas Committees at an early stage in the development of legislation before a Bill is published.

- Establishing a Public Service Oversight and Petitions Committee chaired by a member of the Opposition.

- Allowing MEPs attend Oireachtas Committees

- Other administrative reforms to improve the working of the Dáil.

In 2012 the Oireachtas Committee system was reviewed and further reforms introduced to improve its effectiveness.

The second phase of Reform was introduced in September 2013 and included:

- More Public Involvement in Law Making by expanding the Pre-Legislative Stage before Oireachtas Committees to be a requirement for all non emergency legislation. This allows the Committee to consult with citizens, experts in the area, civic society groups and other interested groups before any Bill is published, publish a report and outline to the Dáil at Second Stage the Committee’s work.

- An annual outline to Dáil of Government Priorities by the Taoiseach & Tanaiste followed by a detailed debate.

- Developing the role of Oireachtas Committees in the Budget Process

- Additional time for legislative debate in the standard Dáil week to help reduce the need to guillotine legislation.

- A 5 minute speaking slot at First Stage in the Dáil Chamber for the proposer of a Private Member’s Bill to outline briefly the purpose of the Bill.

- Extending the Friday sittings to every second week to allow more time for the Dáil to debate Private Members Bills published by individual Deputies and to debate Reports from Oireachtas Committees in a structured format for the first time.

- Reforming the Topical Issue Debates to allow a Deputy defer the debate if no Minister from the relevant Department is available.

- Oral questions to Ministers will only be answered if the Deputy tabling the Question is in the Chamber to outline the reason for the question before the Minister’s reply.

- A Post Legislative Review system requiring a Minister to report to the relevant Oireachtas Select Committee within 12 months of enactment to review the functioning of the Act.

In parallel with these ongoing reforms the number of Dáil sitting days has been significantly increased since the change of Government by reducing the length of Dáil breaks at Christmas, at Easter, after bank holidays and during the summer and the introduction of regular Friday sitting days. The increase in the number of sitting weeks and the corresponding reduction in the length of the Summer recess has reduced the length of time any Deputy has to wait for replies over the Summer.

The commitment in the Programme for Government to amend Standing Orders so that Written Parliamentary Questions have to be answered within a certain number of days even during the Dáil recess will be considered as part of the next phase of Oireachtas Reform.