A new pre-legislative scrutiny role for the Seanad was suggested by Mr Feargal Quinn (Ind), who also called for the banning by law of secret professional lobbying of ministers and civil servants.
Putting forward his ideas for reform of the Upper House, he proposed the establishment of a committee that would act as a forum for the public airing of lobbyists' views on the formation of legislation.
The social partnership approach had resulted in a state of affairs where Oireachtas members were presented with provisions that could not be changed because they represented a "deal" that had already been done behind closed doors, he said.
Most of the time lobby groups went to civil servants who were handling the details of proposed legislation and not to the politicians ultimately responsible.
This process was not transparent, he said. One way of controlling the activities of lobbyists would be to insist that the entire consultative process take place in the full glare of public scrutiny. Mr Quinn said there was no control of inputs by lobbyists.
"My vision of a new Seanad would sweep away all of this and put in its place a way of preparing new legislation that would be fully open, transparent and, in the truest sense of the word, would be democratic."
His committee system would be accessible to everyone and not just to those vested interests who could afford substantial and expensive lobby operations, he said.
Part of this approach would involve the banning by law of any lobbying of ministers or officials outside this forum. He believed that this was a radical idea which would help eliminate the need for tribunals of inquiry, many of which had been necessitated by the ability to lobby outside the normal area.
By taking this step, they would be acknowledging that in the past decade or so many of the functions of parliament had drifted away from it in a manner that was undemocratic and potentially very unhealthy.
He said his proposals would make the Oireachtas infinitely more relevant.
"We need to offer a vision that will address the cynicism and the disillusionment of ordinary decent people throughout the country and which will revitalise our democracy."