Dáil ‘doomed’ unless it gets shake-up, Dempsey

WELL-PAID TDs can easily evade work under the present Dáil set-up while the Government is never held to account, Transport Minister Noel Dempsey last night warned as he urged reform.

The Cabinet member said the current system was open to abuses and doomed unless it underwent a radical shake-up.

Mr Dempsey told the MacGill political summer school that TDs faced a fierce battle to get elected, but once they were in the Dáil they did not have to do anything if they did not want to.