21st July 2011

Government  Chief  Whip,  Minister  Paul  Kehoe  TD, has today introduced a
package  of  Dáil  Reforms designed to make the Dáil Chamber more efficient
and effective.  This is the first phase in a programme of Dáil Reform to be
introduced over the lifetime of this Government.

Speaking during the debate on the Dail Reform today Minister Kehoe stated:
“Dáil  Reform  is  the shared responsibility of every member of this House.
In  the  just  over  four  months since the change of Government the Deputy
Government  Whip,  Emmet Stagg TD, and I have worked closely with the three
Opposition Whips to progress the Dáil Reform agenda.

“When  TDs return to the Dáil on the 14th September, after a reduced summer
recess,  they  will return to a different Dáil, with new rules and improved
procedures.   They  will  return to a Dáil where TDs can play a more active
and  meaningful  role  in  the legislative process and where the members of
this  House  will have more opportunity to raise issues with Ministers in a
more  effective manner.  They will return to a Dáil better equipped to hold
the executive to account.”

Deputy Labour Whip John Lyons TD speaking in the Debate on behalf of the
Labour Party stated:
“There is a long history of work done on Dáil Reform with no firm outcome.
This time it is different.  This time we have real positive proposals for
change in how we do business in this house.”

Outline of Reforms
This  first  phase  of  the  Dáil  Reform  Programme,  to  take effect from
September, will involve:
The  introduction  of  Topical  Issue  Debates to replace the current
Adjournment Debates
Extra  Dáil  sitting  days  – on the first Friday of every month – to
provide time for TDs to introduce their own Bills
Providing  for  Leaders  Questions  to  be  taken  by the Tánaiste on
Thursdays
A  procedure to allow Dáil Deputies raise issues regarding replies to
Parliamentary Questions
The Dáil commencing earlier on Tuesdays at 2pm
Reform of the Standing Order 32 procedures for raising urgent issues
Establishing a time limit for the Order of Business
Changes to Taoiseach’s PQs on Tuesdays and Wednesdays

Topical Issue Debates
The  current  Adjournment Debates will be replaced by a new system to
be titled Topical Issue Debate and taken earlier in the day.
Each  item  selected  for  the  Topical Issue Debate will be given an
allocation of 12 minutes.
Time  will  be allocated for 12 Topical Issue Debates during the full
sitting week.
o  Tuesday – 4 Topical Issue Debates at 5:06pm
o  Wednesday – 4 Topical Issue Debates at 3.45pm
o  Thursdays – 4 Topical Issue Debates at 3.42pm.
The format of the debate will allow
o  the proposer introduce the debate for 4 minutes
o  the Minister/Minister of State will have 4 minutes to reply
o  the proposer will have 2 minutes for a supplementary
o   the  Minister/Minister  of  State  will  have  2 minutes for a
concluding statement.
It  is a Government commitment that the Minister or Minister of State
for   the   relevant   Department   will,   except   in   exceptional
circumstances,  be  the one to respond to the Debate on behalf of the
Government.

Friday Sittings for TDs to introduce their own legislation
The Dáil will sit on the first Friday of every month.
This Dáil Sitting will be designed to provide time to consider second
stage of Bills introduced by Private Members.
All TD who are not holders of Ministerial Office who have published a
Bill  can submit it to be debated in the Dáil Chamber on one of these
Friday sittings.
Bills submitted will be selected by a lottery system a minimum of two
weeks before the sitting day on which the Bill is to be debated
No vote will be held during these Friday sittings. Votes will be held
on the next Dáil sitting day after the Order of Business.

Leaders Questions to be taken by the Tánaiste on Thursdays
21 minutes will be allocated on Thursday at 10.30 am before the Order
of  Business  for  a Leader’s Questions format to be taken, except in
exceptional circumstances, by the Tánaiste on Thursdays.

Standard of Information provided in response to Parliamentary Questions
Procedures  will  be  introduced  for  TDs who have an issue with the
details  of a reply they have received to a Parliamentary Question to
refer  the  matter  to  the  Ceann  Comhairle to decide if reasonable
information has been provided.
The  Ceann Comhairle can refer the matter back to the Minister with a
request  for  further  information. In the event that the information
provided  is  still  insufficient  the  matter  can be scheduled as a
Topical Issue Debate.

Earlier Sitting time on Tuesday
The Dáil sitting on Tuesdays will commence at 2pm instead of 2:30 pm.
The  first  item  on  the  agenda  on  Tuesday  will  be  an extended
Minister’s Questions (one hour and 15 minutes)

Reform of Standing Order 32 procedures
The  procedures under which a Deputy can raise an issue of importance
requiring urgent consideration under Standing Order 32 will no longer
be  read out in the Dáil Chamber unless the request is granted by the
Ceann Comhairle.

Streamlining of the Order of Business
Time limits for the daily Order of Business will be introduced.

Changes to Taoiseach’s PQs on Tuesdays & Wednesdays
Taoiseach’s  PQ  on  Tuesdays will be extended from 45 minutes to one
hour and will no longer be held on Wednesdays