THE DÁIL will not sit again in plenary session until the late autumn which means that promised legislation, three byelections, a referendum on children’s rights and other commitments in the programme for government have been put on hold until at least October. To suggest, in these circumstances, that Oireachtas committee meetings can satisfy the requirements of democracy is ridiculous. For Taoiseach Brian Cowen to maintain that the timing of byelections is a matter for the Dáil, rather than the Government, amounts to low farce.
For the past year or so, Cabinet Ministers have devoted most of their energy to dealing with the economic crisis, involving toxic banks and a collapse in State revenues. As the people who contributed to the mess in the first place, by narrowing the tax base and boosting public spending, that was only proper. But a much broader agenda is required if the public is to be reassured that society can be altered for the better and politics regarded as a creative and worthy calling. In that regard, treating byelections as an optional extra is not acceptable.
The British electoral commission recently kicked up a stink when a byelection was not held within 100 days. Our Constitution review group recommended that vacancies be filled within 90 days. But, when Fine Gael introduced such legislation, it was voted down in the Dáil. Vacancies have existed in Donegal South-West for more than a year and for more than 100 days in both Dublin South and Waterford. The Government stands to lose all three seats and, with them, its eroding Dáil majority. Under severe pressure, the possibility of holding only the Donegal contest has been suggested.
The problem is not confined to Dáil vacancies. Avoiding the electorate has become a Government objective. A referendum on children’s rights, promised in 1997, finally received all-party support last February when a wording was agreed. But the referendum has been postponed because of anticipated demands to hold simultaneous byelections. The same holds true for the Green Party’s objective to have a directly-elected Lord Mayor of Dublin this year. The legislation required to underpin both reforms has not yet been published.
The Government has defended its behaviour on the basis that byelections cause a distraction from important ministerial work. That is a profoundly anti-democratic sentiment. Taxpayers have a right to be represented in parliament. Furthermore, there is no reason why Ministers should devote four weeks of their valuable time to campaigning in constituencies. That is not what the public expects from them.
Retaining power for as long as possible appears to be the objective. That might be excusable in pursuit of progressive legislative and economic reforms. But a universally-recommended property tax has been shelved and tough decisions on cutting expenditure may follow suit. The public is looking for firm leadership and a definite plan to generate jobs and economic growth. Those needs are not being met.