asked the Taoiseach if it is the intention of the Government to introduce legislation to provide for the keeping of an official record of the attendance, by each member of the Oireachtas, at the meetings of the House of which he is a member, and to enforce a minimum attendance in each year.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Attendance of Deputies.
It is not the intention of the Government to introduce legislation on the lines indicated by the Deputy. The opinion of the Government is that legislation of that sort would be ineffective. The real remedy where there is any failure on the part of any Deputy or any Senator to attend to his duties lies with the nominators and electors.
Is the Taoiseach aware that no official record of the attendance of Deputies is kept at present? If a Deputy attends the House and does not take part in a debate or in a division, there is no official record that he has been present, and does the Taoiseach not think that that is an anomaly which should be remedied? In addition, there is at present legislation which disqualifies a member of a county council if he fails to put in a minimum number of attendances, while a Deputy can fail to attend for a long period without being disqualified.
The position in regard to county councils is quite different from the position in the Dáil, as the Deputy knows. The Dáil is in continuous session over a period. If there was a book, a Deputy could sign it and walk out. In the case of a Deputy of the City of Dublin, he could sign the book and walk out. I admit that a country Deputy could not do that, or, at least, in order to do it, ho would have to come to Dublin. The whole thing is full of difficulties and I do not think it is possible to get any remedy.
Apart from signing an attendance book, it would be quite easy to have an official here to keep a record.
All one can think of is a book or some official who would know everybody, but the moment the book was signed or marked by the particular Deputy or by the official, the Deputy could go away.