Deputy criticises adjournment debates

THE GOVERNMENT sub-committee on Dáil reform last met in January, chief whip John Curran told the House. He believed it had a total of eight meetings.

“I acknowledge I am chairperson,’’ he said. “I may well call a meeting of it.’’ Before doing so, he added, he intended having bilateral meetings over the coming weeks.

Mr Curran said the Government had established a working group on Dáil reform in 2009, comprising of Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey, Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern, Senator Dan Boyle of the Green Party, and former Government chief whip Pat Carey.

Following a number of meetings, the group had submitted a set of proposals to the Cabinet for discussion and agreement.

Fine Gael spokesman David Stanton said there had been no significant Dáil reform in his 13 years in the House. He suggested that a number of small procedural changes could be made.

He said adjournment debates were a farce.

“A Minister of State who has no connection with the department involved in the question comes into the House and reads out a pre-written script in response.

“Most of the time that Minister of State has neither the knowledge nor authority to respond to the questions raised by any member on any side on the adjournment.’’

This, said Mr Stanton, was an affront to the House, to members and to the people who sent TDs there.

He questioned whether the Government was serious about procedural reforms of the House. “I have not seen any major Government proposals in the recent past.’’

Mr Curran said he already had a number of informal meetings with TDs on Dáil reform.

Over the next few weeks, he said, he would meet party whips to discuss the matter.