Behind closed doors, how party policy is decided

It is widely accepted that for parliamentary democracies such as ours to operate effectively, political parties must be relatively disciplined and vote along strategic lines determined by party leaderships. Without the whipping system, first introduced by Parnell in the British House of Commons in the 1880s, governments would lack stability, uncertain of their parliamentary majorities.

Because of the system (I have some experience in this area as I was chief whip in Mr Lynch's government, 197073), those unfamiliar with the workings of political parties in Ireland would be forgiven for believing TDs, senators and MEPs are simply corralled through the voting lobbies of their respective Houses according to the whims of the party leadership. This is not the case. Every week, behind closed doors, the elected national representatives of the parties meet to prepare party strategy and policy.

The Fianna Fail Parliamentary Party meets every Wednesday when the House is sitting and as necessary during recess, in the party rooms on the fifth floor of Leinster House and has done so for decades. It consists of all Fianna Fail members of Dail Eireann, Seanad Eireann and of the European Parliament.

The party leader, Bertie Ahern, like all leaders right back to Eamon de Valera, makes a point of attending these meetings. The chief whip acts as secretary, while all ministers not otherwise engaged in government business are also in attendance.

Ministers are good attenders. Together with all other TDs, senators and MEPs these meetings contain an immense array of expertise and political experience representing every constituency and parish in the country. While not entirely relevant, it may be added that with our poor roads and our awful driving record, members travelling long distances continually put themselves at considerable personal risk of accident.

The meetings provide backbenchers with a real say in the policy and strategic direction of the parliamentary party. Indeed, for Fianna Fail or, any other Irish political party, to ignore the views of their backbenchers would be a folly. A party leadership ignorant of its backbenchers is ignorant of its electorate.

The views of the electorate and party grassroots thus permeate from the meeting to the higher echelons of the party leadership and play a significant role in the process by which legislation is initiated, approved and improved.

This year a number of parliamentary party meetings were devoted specifically to the Budget. In these meetings, for example, many argued for the allocation of increased resources and energies to those of our citizens who have a physical or intellectual disability. The Minister for Finance took serious note of what was said and he is present on a regular basis.

All over Ireland, TDs and public representatives of all parties are confronted daily with the needs and problems of their constituents through their clinics and various meetings. These same TDs and public representatives are judged at election time by how they allay these problems and address those needs.

Thus, the debate at the parliamentary party meeting is open, vocal and at times, vociferous. All members are forthright in the defence of, and in advancing, the interests and views of their constituents and constituencies. They also have a national voice which they raise consistently. As a profession, on the scale of values, we do not rate highly with the people, which is a pity and mainly our own fault. My belief is that politics is an honourable profession operated by decent men and women across the divide.

The relationship between representative and constituent, and local party structures is very close. I recall many "nights of the long phone calls" back in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when during leadership challenges, Parliamentary Party members telephoned around their respective constituencies seeking the feeling on the ground before casting their votes.

I had no difficulty with leadership heaves. My reputation for never getting the leader "right" was becoming legendary. It was when Albert Reynolds fought the good fight that I finally got it right. Wrong four times out of five. Not a bad record of failed choices.

I voted for George Colley when Jack Lynch succeeded Sean Lemass in late 1966. I never regretted my voting preferences throughout the various, and unfortunately many, leadership battles in my party. Those events sapped the energy of the party and left a legacy of division which is only now beginning to heal. The present leader is a good listener and unifier and has done much to bind wounds which were festering for nearly three decades.

On the point of the Jack Lynch leadership victory, my own recollection of one incident at that time was triggered by Stephen Collins's recently published and very readable book The Power Game.

For a newly elected TD like myself, to witness the venom of Sean McEntee at Sean Lemass's going and the patent honesty of Kevin Boland expressed in rough language, was awesome to behold. Even then we were a coalition.

I have attended these Parliamentary Party meetings since 1965 and along with my colleague Ben Briscoe, I am the longest serving member attending the Fianna Fail Parliamentary Party. Bobby Molloy, elected the same year, joined the Progressive Democrats at its formation.

It is good to see the younger and indeed more recently elected colleagues putting forward an unvarnished, independent and strong point of view. It is good for the party (and the parties) and infuses an energy and a true sense of ongoing renewal.

It is very important for the party and its leadership that this independence of spirit is nurtured and not seen or taken as a threat. It gives hope to those of us who, like myself, are taking off in the direction of the political past.

The Fianna Fail party is well served by an excellent crop of articulate and hardworking backbenchers, men and women, and many of them are well up to the ministerial mark, some of them good friends of mine. The country will be well served by them in the future.

David Andrews is a former Minister for Foreign Affairs.