merrion street

Government Chief Whip, Minister Paul Kehoe TD, has described the new Oireachtas Committee System which was established this week as just the first step in the Government’s plan for radical Oireachtas Reform.

“A new system of Oireachtas Committees has been established by the Dáil this week. This is just the first step in the Government’s plans for Radical Oireachtas Reform but it is an important step.”

“We have now established a Committee System in line with that promised in the Programme for Government.We have broken with the previous Government’s attitude to Committees where they were seen as a system of finding jobs for disappointed Fianna Fáil TDs. Under the new system there will be no payment to Committee vice-chairs or conveners as existed under the previous Government. The number of Committees in this Dáil has been reduced to allow the Committee system work more effectively. In the majority of cases Government TDs will be on only one Oireachtas Committee giving them time to focus on the work of that Committee. The new Committees will be stronger and will bring real focus to the areas they cover. They will be properly resourced to carry out their function. We have established an Investigations, Oversights and Petitions Committee which will be chaired by a member of the Opposition. This is a strong addition to the Committee System. Irish MEP's will have an opportunity to attend Oireachtas Committees.

“The Government has given the Opposition a greater number of seats on Oireachtas Committees than their Dáil numbers would entitle them to. Despite having over 68% of the seats in the Dáil the Government will have only 61% of the seats on the Committees announced today. Of the 193 positions on the 14 Committees being established today the Government have 119 and the opposition have 74.”

“The Opposition will chair three Oireachtas Committees including the Public Accounts Committee, the newly established Investigations, Oversight and Petitions Committee and the Dáil Members Interest Committee. The issue of which of the Opposition Parties or the Technical Group chairs each of these Committees is currently an issue being discussed between those parties.”

“As a Government we are in the first phase of Oireachtas Reform which has seen the Committee system reformed and the number of Dáil sitting days increased by reducing the Dáil breaks for Christmas and Easter, for the Summer and at Bank Holidays.”

“In the months to come the Government will be moving ahead with its programme of Oireachtas Reform including modernising the work procedures within the Dáil and seek to give Oireachtas Committees increased investigative powers.”