Govt accused of 'killing off' Taoiseach's questions
New Government proposals would kill-off opposition parties’ chances to question the Taoiseach on issues of public importance, it was claimed today.
Labour Party TD Emmet Stagg said party members’ strongly rejected new Government-led proposals for changes to Dáil procedures.
Mr Stagg said the latest proposals from the Government chief whip, Tom Kitt, were a determined effort to kill off “Leader’s Question Time” in the Dáil.
The Labour Party’s whip said the Leader’s Question Time, which gives opposition parties a chance to query the current Taoiseach Bertie Ahern on the way issues are being handled, had become a major innovation in the Dáil.
“Under the latest Government proposals the opposition parties are being asked to accept that the Taoiseach should have the right to refer the Leader’s Questions to other ministers and that the Government should be given “a short period of notice” of each question,” he said.
“The ‘carrot’ being offered to the opposition in return is that there would be a facility to question ministers, but not the Taoiseach, on Thursday morning.
“These changes would have the effect of killing off Leader’s Questions, as we know it.”
Mr Stagg said scripted questions would kill-off any spontaneity and would be used to allow Mr Ahern or any minister to give a carefully worded, civil service “non-reply”.
He added: “The Labour Party will certainly not be a party to any changes that will further restrict our ability to call this Government to account.”
Dan Boyle, the Green Party’s whip, said he would be looking for more power to be given to opposition TDs to initiate legislation under any new procedures.
As the Constitution permits the Dáil to make its own rules or standing orders, Mr Boyle said Dáil procedures were regularly changed. He said they were mainly altered to suit the government in office at the time.
“Our concerns would be the Standing Orders,” he said. “It badly affects smaller parties of less than seven, we have formed a technical group but that is not an ideal position for us.”
The Greens joined the technical group, along with other small parties and independents, to ensure they were permitted the rights and privileges awarded to groups of more than seven deputies.
“Our priority would be to make sure opposition parties are given more change and that smaller parties are treated more fairly,” Mr Boyle said.
The Green Party whip said its members would not agree with Mr Kitt’s proposals for changes to Dáil procedures but it would debate them.
