Timely reminder that rushed legislation is bad legislation

Drapier: The Dáil moved quickly on Thursday to pave the way for the Justice Brian Curtin situation to be dealt with.

Drapier: The Dáil moved quickly on Thursday to pave the way for the Justice Brian Curtin situation to be dealt with.

It was Ruairí Quinn, taking the Order of Business for Labour, who told the House that Labour's Joe Costello had, in the course of consultations with the Government, highlighted a serious drafting defect in the proposed legislation. Chief Whip Mary Hanafin publicly acknowledged Labour's role.

Drapier is still confused as to the reason for the rushed emergency legislation. Justice Brian Curtin is going nowhere. Last week the House was told that a motion would suffice, a few days later it was one piece of emergency legislation, and then on Thursday it was two pieces of emergency legislation that were taken in the House. What if a third and fourth piece of legislation is needed?

Incidentally, it was good to see the former leader in sparkling form, but, as he said, "rushed legislation is bad legislation". Drapier is less and less impressed with the technical competence of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, the legal advice of the Attorney General and the political judgment of the ever active Minister.

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The Tánaiste, who took the Order of Business for the Coalition, was clearly tired. She had no response to Michael Ring's spirited charges of Fianna Fáil sharp practice in changing local election rules, by regulation, just two days before nominations closed.

Drapier is very relieved that the ending of the dual mandate prevents him from being a local election candidate. It is a novel experience, and a relief, to be canvassing on behalf of a local election candidate and not oneself. The voters are angry at the Government. What is not clear, just two weeks away from polling day, is whether that anger will provide the energy to drive the voters to the polling stations.

Drapier was not surprised by the West constituency euro poll. The suits in Lower Mount Street, who themselves never stand for election, did Seán Ó Neachtáin a real favour when they tried to block him from getting on the ticket. Fianna Fáil grassroots love an underdog, particularly when it is being attacked by the Dublin-based headquarters. Frank Fahey is also a happy man; he never wanted to go to Brussels, and it does not look like Minister Dr James McDaid will be going there either.

Marian Harkin is set to replace Dana Rosemary Scallon, but that hardly comes as a surprise. Dana's miserable performance in Galway West in the last general election was the clear writing on the wall for the former Eurovision star. Marian will now disappear into the labyrinth that is the European Parliament, particularly lonely for an Independent with no connection to any group.

In contrast, Jim Higgins will be a major player in the European People's Party, as leader of the Fine Gael group.

Pat Rabbitte displayed his mastery of the Dáil chamber on Wednesday when he dissected, with clinical precision, the ideological nonsense that is driving the break-up of Aer Rianta.

To the obvious discomfort of the Taoiseach and Tánaiste, and despite the protestations of Michael Smith and Dermot Ahern, the Labour leader, quoting from confidential reports, revealed that the break-up would be a financial disaster. Shannon and Cork would both be loss-makers.

The rambling, incoherent Taoiseach tried to counter this by saying that at least they would be State-owned. What he failed to point out was that under EU competition rules these lossmakers could not be subsidised by the State and so, in a few years time, they will be privatised - which, of course, has been Séamus Brennan's real game plan from the very beginning.

Drapier has been taken aback at the anger he has met at the doorsteps from public and civil servants who are being forced to move home and job, against their will, under the decentralisation plans.

The Oireachtas Finance Committee agreed, on a voice vote, to have a two-day structured debate on decentralisation. Seán Fleming, the Fianna Fáil chairman of the committee, was subsequently instructed by the Government to call a formal vote and to reverse the earlier decision.

Richard Bruton and Trevor Sargent drew attention to the impotence of the Oireachtas in attempting to scrutinise this major Government decision which is the product of no policy position, no White Paper, no detailed discussion with the social partners, no compliance with the National Spatial Strategy and no costings from any departmental source. As Prof Ed Walsh of Limerick University said, "the decentralisation may be good for individual Irish towns, but it will be a disaster for the whole of Ireland".

Martin Cullen might usefully inquire of all the local authorities, who have responsibility for the compilation of the electoral register, if they are doing their job properly. Drapier's councillor colleagues have been inundated with complaints from constituents who find that they have been arbitrarily removed from the register or that their names have not been included.

There is not much point in wasting €58 million on electronic voting machines, which are costing goodness knows how much per month to keep in specially-fitted-out warehouses, if the electoral register is hopelessly flawed and inaccurate.

This is further evidence of how the cart is frequently being put before the horse by this chaotic and contradictory Government.

Drapier does have sympathy for the returning officers who have had to revert to ordering pencils, sharpeners, elastic bands, paper clips etc in order to run the three counts for the local and European elections and the referendum.