Reduced Dáil sittings proposed in reforms

The Dáil will not sit two mornings a week to allow for TDs to attend committees.

The Oireachtas Dáil reform committee has been examining a number of proposals and has already decided to reduce the number of TDs that can secure speaking rights in the House.

It is now proposing ending the Friday sittings and having a longer Dáil session every Thursday.

The most significant proposal is for the House not to meet on Wednesday and Thursday mornings to ensure deputies can attend their committee meetings.

Questions

The Oireachtas committee, chaired by Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl, is also examining having questions to the taoiseach two days a week.

The questions currently take place every Tuesday after Leader’s Questions and often focus on meetings the taoiseach had with various political leaders. The committee is proposing a limit on the number of questions that can be tabled and will insist responses will be provided in written form if they have not been answered within two weeks. The committee will also provide for parliamentary questions to be tabled in the week before and after the summer recess.

The Ceann Comhairle is also to be given additional powers to ensure Ministers answer the questions TDs ask them.

The all-party committee was formed after the 32nd Dáil was convened with a view to reforming proceedings in the House.

The committee is meeting next Wednesday to examine proposals to form a Budgetary committee.

Changes already agreed by the committee are the introduction of an electronic button allowing a TD to abstain in a vote.

Until now when electronic votes were taken members were given two options Tá or Níl. Now a third “abstain” button will be added.