asked the Taoiseach if he will outline his proposals for Dáil reform; if he will say, in particular, when Friday sittings of the Dáil will be allocated to Private Member's Bills; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions Oral Answers - Dáil Reform.
1.
Dún Laoghaire): As the Deputy will be aware, the Government have already introduced substantial Dáil reform measures such as the establishment of the new Oireachtas committees, new procedures for questions and new procedures for debating Estimates.
A number of other reform measures are at present in course of preparation. These include a new system of explanatory and financial memoranda for Government Bills, new procedures for reports and the introduction of a new system for Private Members' Bills. In connection with the latter, draft amendments to Standing Orders are being prepared and will be considered by the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.
In addition to the foregoing, I am examining the possibility of other reform measures which will facilitate Deputies in raising matters of concern in the Dáil. I am also arranging for a review of the committee system to see how it might be improved. I also intend to undertake a general review of Standing Orders to see how they might be updated or improved to streamline the business of the Dáil.
In relation to the review of Standing Orders and in particular with regard to Private Members' Time, would the Minister circulate the proposals on these matters to Deputies or to parties not represented on the Committee on Procedure and Privileges?
(Dún Laoghaire): The Committee on Procedures and Privileges are a committee representative of all Members of the Dáil. The make-up of the committee is established by long precedence as to how Members of each party are represented. It is only reasonable that items of Dáil reform should be processed in the normal course through that committee. Where items are under consideration with that committee, it would be inappropriate for me to give exact details of proposals to the House in advance of a decision being taken by the committee. However, the Deputy can rest assured that the committee will be thinking of any amendments which are to the benefit of all Members not particularly of one side of the House.
May I ask the Minister about some aspects on questions? Is he aware that there are two factors which are combining to make it difficult to have questions relevant and contemporary? If I wish to put down a question to the Taoiseach for the Tuesday of any week, I must put it down on the preceding Wednesday. That makes things very difficult, because certainly it means that matters which arise urgently must wait until the following week. The Minister might suggest that the situation can be dealt with by way of Private Notice Question. He would agree that there are severe limitations and restrictions on Private Notice Questions. With all due respect to his lordship in the Chair, most of the time he takes a very restrictive view of what is allowable under Private Notice Question.
A fair view, according to Standing Orders.
Perhaps; nevertheless, the Chair would have to admit that it is a limited and restricted process. I ask the Minister to consider seriously some way, through a change either in the precedure for Private Notice Questions or in the time scale which applies to putting down questions, to see if we can have questions asked in this House on important matters which arise suddenly and urgently and with which very often the Taoiseach or the Minister might wish to be in a position to deal and to answer in the House.
(Dún Laoghaire): I have tried to cover that aspect in my reply to the original question. There are various systems of raising matters of immediate concern, for example, on the Adjournment or by Private Notice Question. I am open to have discussions with the Opposition Whip in relation to this matter, but the problem with Question Time, as anybody who sits in the House will see, is that it is turning into more of a debate, as distinct from getting information by asking a question. There is a need, and I have said in my reply, that I am looking for ways and means of trying to find a procedure whereby matters of immediate concern can be raised in the Dáil on the day in question or the following day, as they arise. We have it here with the Ceann Comhairle every day on the Order of Business when Deputies attempt to raise matters which are immediate and need an answer but are ruled out of order, rightly so, because they do not arise on the Order of Business. I am trying to find some way of dealing with that problem so that Deputies would get an opportunity to raise a matter of immediate importance. I have written to the Opposition Chief Whip in relation to the present Question Time system and any concrete or constructive suggestions which can be made will be looked at.
On that point, the Minister of State might consider two matters. First, a revision of the terms applicable to Private Notice Questions so that the Ceann Comhairle will not, very much against his wishes, time and again be forced into ruling Private Notice Questions of mine out of order which I know grieves him very deeply. Perhaps, we could find some way of broadening the terms of urgent public business through the Private Notice Question. Secondly, would the Minister of State consider a device which is used in another Parliament whereby the Ceann Comhairle will concede from time to time an emergency debate on issues which arise suddenly? Perhaps, with Deputy De Rossa's permission I might move on to the committee system. Is there any way whereby the Minister of State could ensure that the committees are not used by particular individuals to secure personal sensational type publicity for themselves as chairmen of those committees? The Minister of State knows who exactly I am referring to.
Did it not go down in Limerick?
It was in a press release.
Guttersnipe.
(Dún Laoghaire): This committee system was only set up in the lifetime of the Government. All of us who are members would be only too delighted to do anything we can to improve on the committee system. I am carrying out a review of the committee system at present to see how it can be improved. I will certainly take note of what Deputy Haughey said about the other matters.
The Chair is going to call on Deputy De Rossa now but might I suggest before doing so that we could have a very long discussion which would be inappropriate and which would be more appropriate for the Committee on Procedure and Privileges?
In response to my first supplementary the Minister of State indicated that all of the parties in this House were represented on the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. He will not be annoyed, I am sure, if I remind him that The Workers' Party are not represented on that committee or on any of the other Oireachtas committees. For that reason, I asked him if he would circulate to myself and other Independent Deputies who are not represented on that committee his proposals regarding changes in Standing Orders. It is only proper that we should be involved, even at a distance, in the discussions which are proceeding in relation to reform of the House. Could I also ask the Minister of State, in discussing or proceeding with reforms with regard to the introduction of Private Members' Bills whether he proposes to provide any kind of drafting assistance or expertise to Independent or other backbench Deputies in regard to producing such Bills?
(Dún Laoghaire): Deputy De Rossa may have misunderstood my reply to his first supplementary. I did not wish to imply that all parties in this House were represented on the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. I did not say that. What I said was that the Members who are on that committee represent all the Members of this House. From my experience on that committee I would say that 99 per cent of the time we do not reflect the views of a particular party. We are there acting on behalf of the good of the Members and for the good of this House. I did not imply that all parties were represented on that committee but all parties are represented by those who are on the committee. Their views are taken into account. I would say to Deputy De Rossa if he has any suggestion he wishes to make, he should either put it in writing or have a chat with me. I would be only too delighted to listen to any constructive views that he or any other Member of this House may have in relation to Dáil reform.
In reply to his last supplementary, it is proposed to provide some financial assistance towards Deputies who wish to have Private Members' Bills drafted.
A final supplementary from Deputy De Rossa and a final one on the question from Deputy Brady.
The final question I want to ask is in relation to the review of the committee structure, whether it is intended to provide, as has been reported, some qualified privilege to persons appearing before these committees and, if that is being considered, whether or not any legislation has been prepared.
(Dún Laoghaire): Legislation is in course of preparation at present. It is with the parliamentary draftsman at present.
I would like to ask the Minister of State whether he recalls an undertaking given to the House in 1982-83 that Estimates would be published in September-October and could I ask him if the Government have now abandoned those ambitions?
(Dún Laoghaire): The Government are at present looking at ways and means of having that matter dealt with in a constructive manner. We are looking at some proposals. One possibility is that we could use one of our committees to do that work. That is why it is important that, after a couple of years in operation, the whole of the committee system should be reviewed, and we could see where we could improve on the system and, hopefully, have a better system for the next Dáil.