THE DÁIL will sit on one Friday a month and begin work half an hour earlier each week under a new reform package announced yesterday, the last day of the Dáil term.
The reforms, which won all-party agreement in the House, propose a more modest increase in sitting hours than had been expected.
In addition to beginning work at 2pm rather than 2.30pm on Tuesdays, the Dáil will sit for four rather than three days once a month.
On the first Friday of each month, there will be a Dáil sitting to allow non-ministerial TDs to table private members’ Bills. The Bills will be selected by a lottery system a fortnight before. Voting on the Bills will take place the following Tuesday. The measures were announced yesterday by Government Chief Whip Paul Kehoe. In addition to extra sitting hours, several other significant changes were introduced.
The main one is a new “topical issues” debate that will replace the adjournment debate, which took place as the last item of business on sitting days, often very late at night.
Some 12 issues will be chosen each week, all of which will be allotted prime mid-afternoon slots in the Dáil schedule. It will also allow TDs to raise supplementary matters with the Minister in question after the reply, something which was not allowed under the adjournment system.
The whips from all parties and groupings have also agreed that the practice of sending in a Minister from another line department to answer all questions would no longer apply. “It is a Government commitment that the Minister or Minister of State for the relevant department will, except in exceptional circumstances, be the one to respond,” said Mr Kehoe.
The other major change is agreement for a third Leaders’ Questions slot on Thursday morning, with questions by Opposition leaders to be taken by the Tánaiste rather than the Taoiseach. As a quid pro quo, the departmental question to the Taoiseach will be reduced from two slots to one – albeit with 15 minutes extra – a measure that will not be controversial.
Mr Kehoe defended the fact that only one extra sitting day per month was being added, saying that Dáil sitting days had already increased by earlier returns after holidays and a much shorter Easter and summer break.
“We promised that in Government we would sit 50 per cent extra. Without sitting any Friday, we have now reached 38 per cent. Sitting on Fridays mean the extra sitting days will be 62 per cent,” he said.
“People have to realise that the House is also sitting late into the night, sometimes until 9pm, 10pm and 11pm.
“I can assure you that committees are also working much more proactively since the Government’s return,” he said.
He also criticised Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin over his complaints about the Taoiseach’s department’s handling of parliamentary oral questions submitted by him.
On the issue of the dress code, Mr Kehoe said views were divided, but his personal belief was that some form of standing order was required to ensure standards.
Key pieces of legislation
Finance (No 2) Act 2011– changes to pensions levy, VAT and air travel tax resulting from the Government's jobs initiative in May.
Ministers and Secretaries Amendment) Act 2011– provides for the establishment of the Department of Public Expenditure.
Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011– restoration of the national minimum wage.
Road Traffic Act No 7 of 2011– brought in mandatory alcohol-testing of drivers.
Criminal Justice Bill 2011– changes some rules in relation to the detention of persons on suspicion of offences.
Patents (Amendment) Bill 2011– reform and modernisation of patents legislation.
National Tourism Development Authority Bill 2011– increases advances from the capital money provided by the Oireachtas to develop tourist facilities.
Residential Institutions Redress Bill 2011– removes power from the redress board for considering applications made after September 16th.
Medical Practitioners Bill 2011– addresses the urgent situation facing hospitals as a result of the shortage of non-consultant hospital doctors.
Foreshore Amendment Bill 2011– Transfer of functions from the Department of Agriculture to the Department of Environment in relation to foreshore licences.
Public Health Tobacco Bill 2011– allows Minister to introduce graphics and pictures as warnings on cigarette and tobacco boxes and cartons.
Electoral Amendment Bill 2011– revises terms of reference for Constituency Commission to reduce the number of Dáil seats, hold all byelections within six months and put lower caps on spending limit for presidential election (being debated by Dáil).
Defence Amendment Bill 2011– changes to conditions and service required for appointment as a director of military prosecutions and as a military judge (before Oireachtas).
Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011– extends civil legal aid rights, licensing of private security services and revised codes of practice for the sale of alcohol.
Finance (No 3) Bill 2011– gives equal tax rights to registered civil partners and cohabitants to which married couples are already entitled.
Central Bank and Credit Institutions Bill 2011– required by the IMF and EU.
Welfare of Greyhounds Bill 2011– providing for the welfare of greyhounds and regulating breeding establishments.