Micheál Martin calls for new system of politics to be reviewed

The new system of politics needs to be reviewed according to Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin.

Speaking at the MacGill Summer School this evening Mr Martin questioned whether a minority government and diverse parliament can deliver credible decisions on important issues.

Mr Martin has said the situation at the moment is “still unsettled” and added that the “absurd situation” not exists which allows small groupings more speaking time than those in the two largest parties.

His comments come after a number of Fine Gael back bench TDs recently vented frustrations at their own parliamentary party meeting over a lack of speaking time in the Dáil.

Speaking in Glenties, Donegal last night Mr Martin said: “The changes to daily procedures are far from bedded down and need to be reviewed.”

“There are a series of steps which are not yet in place which are critical to success. The most important of these is a budget office which will independently review the fiscal and economic impact of all proposals.

“This will help establish the principle that the proposals of every TD will be properly reviewed and it will challenge empty political claims. It will also force government to base policy on a more credible review of costs.”

He added that the amount of time for government legislation needs to be increased if we are to properly review the more important measures that will start to appear on the order paper from October onwards.

Mr Martin hit out at the new system of allowing more technical groups such as the rural Independents, the AAA-PBP, and the Social Democrats who have joined with the Green party to gain speaking rights.

“We have the absurd situation where the greater the mandate your party holds the less opportunity you have to speak.

“Ad-hoc groupings of a few Deputies have a right to be heard – but the grossly disproportionate amount of speaking time allocated to them, at the expense of dramatically larger parties is certainly not conducive to a parliament which reflects the will of the people.

Mr Martin said: “The legitimate question has been asked as to whether a minority government and diverse parliament can deliver credible decisions on important issues.”