asked the Minister for Industry, Trade, Commerce and Tourism the further proposals, if any, the Government has for reform of Dáil procedures; if he has any plans to make it easier for Private Members' Bills to be tabled and debated; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Reform of Dáil Procedures.
5.
Items of Dáil reform, having been considered by Government, are processed in the normal course through the Dáil Committee on Procedure and Privileges. Following approval by this committee, the proposals are brought before the Dáil in the form of a motion to amend Standing Orders where this is required. Where an item is under consideration by this committee, it would be inappropriate for me to give exact details of the proposals to the House in advance of a decision by CPP and subsequent notification to the Dáil.
In so far as the first part of the Deputy's question is concerned, I can tell the Deputy that the Dáil Committee on Procedure and Privileges have agreed in principle with proposals which will make it easier for individual Deputies to have Bills printed and discussed. Given the number of Deputies in the House and the limited amount of time available, there will have to be built-in restrictions in the proposal. Nevertheless, there should be an improvement in the present situation in so far as individual Deputies are concerned. It is expected that the necessary motion amending Standing Orders to implement the proposal will be circulated in the near future and, of course, discussed in the House.
In so far as other items of Dáil reform are concerned, proposals are before the Committee on Procedure and Privileges in relation to a new format for debates on departmental Estimates, explanatory and financial memoranda on Bills and a method of simplifying the Order Paper. Proposals that certain committees be automatically appointed after a new Dáil has been convened by writing their Orders of Reference into Standing Orders are also awaiting final clearance by the Committee on Procedure and Privileges and will be brought before the House in the New Year. In addition, proposals to establish the Joint Committee on Socio-Economic Affairs as mentioned in Building on Reality, will shortly go before Government.
A motion is on the Dáil Order Paper at present, which will have the effect of expanding the terms of reference of the Joint Committee on Commercial State-sponsored Bodies to give the committee power to examine the common issues of commercial State-sponsored bodies relating to board responsibility, structure and organisation, accountability and financing together with the relationship with central Government and the Houses of the Oireachtas. This motion which is due to be discussed here this evening, will allow this committee to take an overall look at the commercial State-sponsored sector rather than at individual bodies, as is the case at present.
Proposals to improve the level to which reports laid before the Dáil are subjected to debate in the House are being considered by Government at the moment.
Furthermore, in each of the proposals, I have attempted to incorporate new rules of debate where such an improvement would be worthwhile.
In relation to the introduction of new technology in Leinster House, a consultancy assignment is being undertaken for the Dáil Committee on Procedure and Privileges. This consultancy is aimed at examining the implementation realities in terms of costs, procedures etc. for the first phase of the introduction of new technology in identified key areas in the Houses of the Oireachtas. It is expected that the recommendations of the consultant will be available early in the new year.
The reply was very lengthy but not comprehensive. Do I understand that some of the proposals the Minister mentioned have gone to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges?
I specified which proposals had gone to the committee.
Could the Minister specify them again?
Yes. There is a proposal before the Committee on Procedure and Privileges at present in regard to Private Members' Bills which has been cleared in principle but the detailed draft has yet to be approved for introduction here. There is also a proposal before the committee in respect of a new format for debates on Departmental Estimates in the Dáil and an additional requirement in respect of explanatory memoranda for Bills giving information about their financial implications, which has also been approved in principle but which has to be implemented in detail. Proposals that certain committees be automatically appointed after a new Dáil has been convened by writing their orders of reference into Standing Orders are also awaiting final clearance by the committee.
On the proposals in relation to Private Members' Bills, will Fridays become normal sitting days to enable these Bills to be taken as was proposed some years ago?
Some Fridays, but not all.
Has the Minister any idea of how many Fridays will be involved?
I have but I do not want to put the proposals before the House now as the Committee on Procedure and Privileges are still considering them. However, I think the Dáil will sit on about six Fridays in the year.
That is not a great reform and I am surprised at the tardiness of the Minister in coming forward with reforms for Dáil procedure. I am sure that the Ceann Comhairle will agree that this is an appropriate time to discuss the question especially as we have wasted 50 minutes arguing about whether a ruling was in order in regard to a very simple Standing Order. I believe that the Standing Order in question is nonsensical. Has the Minister done anything in relation to the proposals which were widely requested that facilities be provided for broadcasting debates of the Oireachtas?
I totally reject any accusation of tardiness in the matter of Private Members' Bills. I made a proposal to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges last January; the committee considered the matter in March and decided to refer it to the various political parties. With the greatest difficulty, the committee obtained the final views of one of the political parties——
It is neither customary nor desirable to discuss the business of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges——
The Deputy made an accusation of tardiness and you did not prevent him from doing so. I am entitled to defend myself in regard to such an accusation which is totally unfounded as I have made every effort to have this procedure introduced as early as possible. I regret that there has been such a delay but considerable progress has been made in relation to this matter during the last month. As far as the broadcasting of the House is concerned, that matter is proceeding, decisions have been taken, accommodation arrangements are being made and I expect it will be in effect early in the new year.
In view of the fact that 50 minutes of the Minister's time was wasted, could he answer questions again tomorrow?
We must now move to priority questions in accordance with an order of the House.