THE ROLE of president of the Labour Party, currently filled by former minister Michael D Higgins, should be abolished, according to a draft party reform plan.
A commission led by Greg Sparks has worked on a reformation of the party since it was appointed by the party's conference last year. If passed by a special conference in November, the changes would substantially increase the powers of party leader Eamon Gilmore.
The National Executive Council (NEC) should be reduced to just 12 members. Besides the leader and deputy leader, a slimmed-down NEC would include two parliamentary party representatives, one Labour councillor, and five who would be elected directly by annual conference.
Longstanding party organisations such as Labour Youth, Labour Women and Labour Equality should be downgraded to policy groups and lose powers to recruit and campaign. This proposal is expected to be opposed, particularly by Labour Youth, if and when it is put to conference, assuming that it is accepted by the NEC on October 23rd.
The proposal to abolish the party president, though it is symbolic only, will be unpopular with some in the party's ranks. It was created after Labour joined with Democratic Left.
Candidates will have to pass vetting by a new elections committee that will have sole control in deciding on a shortlist to go before constituency organisations.
It is to judge candidates only by their competence and experience and not by their political opinions, though some concern exists about how this will operate in practice.
However, substantial elements within the party have long called for a more rigorous approach to candidate selection.
The role of general secretary is to be downgraded from chief executive officer to chief operating officer, and appointed directly by the leader, not by the NEC, as has happened up to now.
