Oireachtas needs some reform

If and when our leaders regain their appetite for political reform, the entire Oireachtas must be reviewed as one system.

A crucial flaw in the campaign to cull the Seanad, (by slash-hook amputation), It did not consider till very late what the effect would be on the overall legislative ‘system’. What do we want the Oireachtas to do in the 21st century? How can we facilitate whatever that is?

Two facts which emerged as verifiable statistics were, firstly, that something like 63% legislation coming from the Dáil had been guillotined, (ie not processed fully by the Dáil); secondly, that in the two-and-a-half years of this administration 529 amendments have had to be brought forward by the ‘toothless, useless, imperial, elitist’ Seanad in order to clean up this pseudo legislation which was incomplete and unfit for purpose. Similar figures apply for the previous 2007-2011 administration.