TDs set to agree 35-week Dáil year and earlier start each morning

WORK-HUNGRY TDs are set to agree new Dáil schedules to cut their holidays and get started earlier each morning.

Government chief whip Pat Carey said broad agreement has been reached to extend the length of time the Dáil sits and make changes to ensure it works more efficiently.

A three-man Government working group recently brought proposals to an Oireachtas sub-committee on Dáil reform, he said. And he hopes changes will be in place when the politicians return after Christmas.

“I hope we will have another meeting in the week after the Lisbon Treaty referendum to progress further the areas we discussed in July and come quickly, as near as we can, to agreement.

“There is general agreement, for example, that the Dáil year should be about 35 weeks and that the Dáil should start earlier on each sitting day,” he said.

The 35-week per year plan would be close to what the TDs are expected to endure this year, because of extra sitting days to deal with the banking crisis.

During the last two non-election and non-crisis years (2006 and 2005) the Dáil sat for 33 weeks and 31 weeks respectively. Generally the Dáil starts at 2.30pm on Tuesdays and at 10.30am Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Mr Carey rejected criticisms by Labour party whip Emmet Stagg, who said real reform of the Dáil had been thwarted by Fianna Fáil.

Mr Stagg said it was not the Greens or the Opposition that shelved modernising proposals made by the Ceann Comhairle John O’Donoghue. But the plans were stymied by Mr Carey and his colleagues to appease Government backbenchers.

“I have no faith whatsoever in the Fianna Fáil members in Government proposing to or attempting to reform the Dáil.

“I have been sitting opposite its members at Oireachtas committees for 10 years and they have stonewalled and blocked every single proposal for Dáil reform, even minor ones,” he said.

Fine Gael TD David Stanton said there were many measures that would not require fundamental changes but could improve the effectiveness of the Oireachtas.

However, Mr Carey said a root-and-branch review of our parliamentary system should be undertaken in addition to any changes.

Mr Stanton said this should be acted on because the Dáil was no longer fit for purpose and Fine Gael would support change. “If we wished, some of the House’s procedures could be brought up to date tomorrow to make the House more efficient,” he said.