FINE GAEL’S document on political reform will propose a special “Constitution Day” which would see five of its major proposals to reform the political system put to referendum on the same day.
The New Politicsdocument, to be published in advance of the party's national conference next weekend, promises to hold an omnibus referendum within 12 months of the party assuming office that will create what it describes as a "New Republic".
The amendments would include:
- the abolition of the Seanad;
- a new “list” system for selecting 15 TDs;
- new constitutional recognition given to four Dáil committees;
- reduction of the President’s term of office from seven years to five;
- the introduction of a public petition mechanism for the Dáil.
It also argues for two further constitutional amendments to take place before then: the reversal of the “Abbeylara” judgment that limits the power of Dáil committees to conduct investigations; and an amendment that would allow reductions in judges’ pay.
Party leader Enda Kenny, environment spokesman Phil Hogan and senior party officials have been working on the programme for over a year.
The 67-page document, a copy of which has been seen by The Irish Times, contends that it is the "most ambitious programme for political reform since the 1930s".
The bulk of the document has been signed off by the parliamentary party following a number of presentations made by Mr Hogan. The exceptions are proposed new rules on quotas for women, which were rejected on a vote by TDs and Senators last Wednesday.
The major reforms proposed by the document are a scrapping of the Seanad and the reduction of the number of constituency TDs in the Dáil from 166 to 146.
However, there will be another 15 additional TDs, elected through a list system. The total number of TDs, under this proposal, would be 161 – a net reduction of five on the present number.
The document argues that a list will bring “people into the Dáil who can devote 100 per cent of their time to the legislative process”.
The document suggests the number of joint committees should be reduced from 19 to nine. The most powerful, interrogative Dáil committees should be given constitutional backing for the first time, it argues.
These should include the Public Accounts Committee; a new Banking and Financial Regulation Committee; a new Budget Committee and European Legislation Committee.
The party also proposes the introduction of a Public Appointments Transparency Bill which will require people appointed to key State offices to have their credentials scrutinised by TDs.
Social partnership should be scrapped under its current form. “It has become a tool to protect vested interests and insiders,” states the report.
Another new initiative is the concept of a public petition system for the Dáil. “We believe that citizens must have a direct way, between elections, to make their concerns known. Our proposal will oblige the Dáil to consider a particular issue on receipt of a public petition that has the signatures of a minimum number of citizens, eg 10,000,” it states.
The document also advocates the reduction of the presidential term from seven years to five, and a vote in that election for Irish citizens living abroad for up to five years.