(Second Supplementary Order Paper) 40 DÁIL ÉIREANN Dé Máirt, 31 Bealtaine, 2011 Tuesday, 31st May, 2011 2.30 p.m. GNÓ COMHALTAÍ PRÍOBHÁIDEACHA PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS Fógra i dtaobh leasuithe ar Thairiscint : Notice of Amendments to Motion 25. “That Dáil Éireann: recognising that: — the unqualified and urgent desire of the people of Ireland is to rebuild Ireland’s political system into an effective, accountable, transparent, representative and participatory institution; — there is a critical need for immediate and meaningful Oireachtas and local government reform, to be done in tandem; — Dáil Éireann has a clear constitutional role to hold the Government to account; — there is a vast difference between this and the practical reality whereby the Government exerts its will over Dáil Éireann; and — the current party-political whip system has created an overly centralised parliamentary decision-making mechanism, severely curtailing the freedom of individual T.D.s to cast their parliamentary votes in the interests of those they represent; resolves to: — increase Government accountability to the Dáil through: — the abolition of the party-political whip system to allow individual members to vote according to conscience and not instruction; — greater transparency in Government decision-making and the decision-making of senior civil servants; — opposing any reduction in Dáil time for Taoiseach’s and Ministers’ questions; — reformatting Dáil debates, Ministers’ and Taoiseach’s questions to create a more dynamic and open forum in which discussion and debate takes place; — the timely publication of regulatory impact assessments to allow for full consideration of the pros and cons of proposed legislation; and — providing legal advisory capacity to the Dáil; P.T.O. — improve the committee function of the Oireachtas through: — increasing the powers of committees to allow for input prior to initial drafting of legislation; and — introducing compulsory powers for Dáil committees; and — implement meaningful local government reform in advance of the 2014 local government elections.” — Stephen Donnelly, Catherine Murphy, Thomas Pringle, Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan, Tom Fleming, John Halligan, Finian McGrath, Mattie McGrath, Maureen O'Sullivan, Shane Ross, Mick Wallace, Richard Boyd Barrett, Joan Collins, Clare Daly, Joe Higgins. Leasuithe: Amendments: 1. To delete all words after “participatory institution;” in the first subparagraph down to and including “pros and cons of proposed legislation; and” and substitute the following: “— there is a critical need for immediate and meaningful governmental, Oireachtas and local government reform, to be done in tandem; — Dáil Éireann has a clear constitutional role to hold the Government to account; — no substantive move has yet been implemented to increase government accountability while a number are underway which would actually reduce accountability; and — there is a balance to be found between the right of parties to insist that persons elected on their tickets and with their programmes respect this mandate and the role of the T.D.’s personal mandate; resolves to: — increase Government accountability to the Dáil through: — a more transparent approach to scheduling Dáil business to include the forward publication of a timetable of likely measures covering at least two months rather than the current practice of four days notice of measures; — greater transparency in Government decision-making and the decision-making of senior civil servants; — increasing Dáil time for Taoiseach’s and Ministers’ questions, restrictions on the abuse of the right to transfer, disallow and group questions and extra time for the answering on individual questions; — reformatting Dáil debates, Ministers’ and Taoiseach’s questions to create a more dynamic and open forum in which discussion and debate takes place; — the timely publication of regulatory impact assessments to allow for full consideration of the pros and cons of proposed legislation; — the introduction of a requirement for briefing material to be circulated to all Deputies in advance of a motion being placed on the Order Paper; — the inclusion of reforms to government in the terms of reference for the Constitutional Convention; — the holding of meaningful consultations with the opposition before legislation is introduced; and” — Micheál Martin, John Browne, Dara Calleary, Niall Collins, Barry Cowen, Timmy Dooley, Seán Fleming, Billy Kelleher, Seamus Kirk, Michael P. Kitt, Brian Lenihan, Charlie McConalogue, Michael McGrath, John McGuinness, Michael Moynihan, Éamon Ó Cuív, Seán Ó Fearghaíl, Willie O'Dea, Brendan Smith, Robert Troy. P.T.O. 2. To delete all words after “Dáil Éireann” and substitute the following: “— notes that the new Government is committed to extensive political and Dáil reform as outlined in the Programme for Government; — commends the Government for introducing immediate changes such as: — a reduction in remuneration for the Taoiseach and Government Ministers; — new arrangements in relation to Ministerial transport to reduce its cost and to free up Garda resources; and — radically overhauling arrangements for appointing senior civil servants by the Top Level Appointments Committee (TLAC) so that the chairperson and the majority of TLAC members will be drawn from outside the public sector; — commends the Government for agreeing to produce vital legislation shortly to: — set up the Constituency Boundary Commission as a first step to reducing the number of T.D.s; — reduce the Presidential election spending limit; — introduce a six month time limit to hold bye-elections; and — effectively ban corporate political donations, lower personal political donation thresholds and increase transparency in respect of all political donations; — notes that the Government intends to prioritise further proposals for reform such as: — establishing a Constitutional Convention to consider wide ranging issues for political and constitutional reform; — extending the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 to 2003; — introducing whistleblowers legislation; — establishing an independent Fiscal Council; — referenda proposals to give Oireachtas committees powers of investigation and for the abolition of the Seanad; and — enhancing the democratic process by involving members at an earlier stage of the legislative process via the Oireachtas committees, particularly before Bills are published; — recognises that the local government system has an important role in enhancing the welfare and quality of life of communities and can make a substantial contribution to the national recovery effort; — endorses the extensive commitments in the Programme for Government to renew and develop the local government system; — acknowledges the progress made to date in improving efficiency in the local government sector and the establishment of an independent implementation group to implement relevant recommendations of the Local Government Efficiency Review Group Report; — notes the intention to publish a policy statement outlining proposals for the development and reform of local government; and — calls on parties and members in the Dáil to engage constructively with ongoing discussions on Dáil reform with the aim of implementing a package of reforms in the House from September.” — Breandán Ó Húilín, Aire gan ceannas Roinne. .