Ambitious reforms to give non-party deputies more say

THE Independents may finally get their Dáil day in the sun if the new government is serious about its ambitious parliamentary reform programme.

Non-party deputies and other backbenchers will be allowed to introduce legislation and command far greater speaking time under the proposed changes.

A new Ten Minute Rule Bill mechanism will be copied from Westminster and allow non-government TDs the chance to propose new laws.

But while this looks like breaking the stranglehold of the Executive on the legislative process, in reality it will merely serve as an opportunity to spotlight specific issues, as government backing and Dáil time would be needed to get anything on to the statute books.

However, the Fine Gael/Labour administration, which will command support from 113 of the 166 TDs in the Dáil, is offering to open its activities up to far more scrutiny and criticism from the opposition benches than any other government has.

The Dáil week will be extended to four sitting days, with Fridays given over to private members’ business and reports from a strengthened committee system.

The move should bring the number of Dáil sessions up by about 50% and take it to parity with the 150 sitting days recorded a year at Westminster.

With 19 Independent TDs in the 31st Dáil — including five members of the umbrella group, the United Left Alliance — opposition voices will be louder and more easily heard in the chamber, though due to the unprecedented government majority of 60 votes, it is highly unlikely they will be able to force anything on the administration it does not approve of. Backbenchers will be able to demand up to five topical interest debates per day to highlight issues of particular importance or urgency.

Voters will also have a fresh influence on parliament via a new committee which will scrutinise and assess petitions for changes in the law from outside the Oireachtas.

As well as the changes to Dáil procedure, referendums will be held on the abolition of the Seanad, a reduction in the number of TDs and cuts in judges’ pay. Also, the pay, pension and expenses system for TDs and ministers will be updated.

Limits will be placed on Cabinet confidentiality and the remit of the ombudsman will be extended to allow greater scrutiny with legislation introduced to make clear the legal responsibilities of ministers and their civil servants, and will result in both groups being able to be held to account for their actions or failures.

The government has also promised to reverse Fianna Fáil’s roll-back of freedom of information access.