Dáil procedures and privileges

Sir, – May I be one of the first to welcome the first green shoots of Dáil reform, apparent in proposals by the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, as reported in The Irish Times ("Sanctions being finalised to crack down on disruptive TD", May 27th)?

I assume that the interpretation by that committee of “obstruction, disruptive behaviour” and the “abuse of parliamentary privilege” will not be too narrow.

I expect it will include the snide and smart-aleck remarks so beloved by Government Ministers from both Fine Gael and Labour, ably led by the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste; that it will deal with the disrespect for the democratic mandate of Opposition TDs by the repeated provision of non-answers to their questions; and that it will create an offence of “bringing the Dáil into disrepute” to deal with the continued denial of the mandate of those TDs whose policies they don’t like. – Yours, etc,

DES CURLEY,

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Boyle,

Co Roscommon.