THE GENERAL election campaign will step up a gear this week with the major parties unveiling their manifestos. Fianna Fáil will propose a radical change in the way government works, with ministers no longer having to serve as constituency TDs.
In its manifesto to be published today, Fianna Fáil will suggest ministers should not be hampered by having to do constituency work. TDs who are chosen by the taoiseach to be members of the cabinet will be replaced by a substitute in the Dáil who would have to be named on a list published before the election.
Ministers would continue to attend the Dáil, answer questions and participate in debates, but they would not have votes in Dáil divisions. “This system would allow them to devote significantly more time to their ministerial duties,” according to the manifesto. Ministers would continue to require Dáil approval for their appointment.
Another radical change is that the Taoiseach would be allowed to nominate people who are not members of the Oireachtas to be ministers. A confirmation process would be put in place which would include “a presentation of priorities” before a committee.
Fianna Fáil will propose a revamped electoral system which would see a mix of single-seat constituencies elected through single transferable votes along with a top-up national list.
The party would back the introduction of measures to favour gender balance. Representatives would be elected from the list “to balance under-representation which would emerge in the constituencies”.
Fianna Fáil would support the extension of the franchise for presidential elections to all Irish citizens, including emigrants. The party has suggested allowing candidates for the office to be nominated by petition of registered electors. The election of the ceann comhairle by secret ballot is also proposed. This election is the first item on the agenda of every incoming Dáil.
Another reform is that all legislation should be submitted for independent fiscal analysis in advance of Dáil debates, and a “regulatory oversight committee” would have expert staff available to it to assist in an ongoing review of functions.
Dáil sitting hours should be changed to those of a normal working week for most of the year. Fianna Fáil would back a constitutional amendment to extend polling in elections over two days to facilitate higher voter participation.
Fine Gael will announce its proposals for political reform today in advance of its full manifesto launch later in the week.
The abolition of the Seanad, a reduction of 20 in the number of TDs and a revamp of the way the Dáil does its business will form the centrepiece. A big reduction in the number of Oireachtas committees with greater involvement in the process of legislation for all TDs forms a key part of the plan.
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny has already pledged a referendum within a year to implement his party’s political reform proposals.
Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore said yesterday he wanted the Irish voters to give him a mandate to be able to walk into the European Council to demand that the bailout should be renegotiated. He said the EU-IMF deal was crippling the Irish economy and putting the entire burden on the taxpayer.
Green Party leader John Gormley said a unilateral renegotiation of the deal was not possible and could only happen with the agreement of our EU partners.
Fine Gael deputy finance spokesman Brian Hayes said Labour’s plans to borrow an extra €5 billion from the EU and IMF would lead to an increase in income tax.
Mr Kenny again ruled out taking part in a TV3 debate tomorrow night but said he would be willing to participate in a three-way party leaders’ debate on television.