Fine Gael tops academics’ assessment of political reform pledges

THE incoming government’s record on political reform is to be tracked and graded after a team of leading academics trawled through party pledges and rated proposals for change.

Fine Gael scored highest overall when it came to proposals for political reform but most parties scored poorly on plans to change local government.

The group, Reformcard, examined proposals under five headings of Oireachtas, electoral, open government, public sector and local government reform and marked party plans out of 100. Each are accounted for 20 marks.