Dail Reform

[Oldschool]

One reform I would like to see is a limit on the total number of years the same person can be Taoiseach and as a result party leader also.

[Darce]

Remove the whip
A more powerful upper house
Requirement to attend all votes when not on Government business. Same goes for debates/sittings
Professional code of conduct for debates. Removal instantly for shouting over the CC/other members

[Hippo]

Remove the whip - there's an argument that you'd never actually pass any legislation and that every one-issue merchant in town, and there's plenty, would be permanently on their soap boxes.

Stronger upper house - maybe, but would need to be far more democratically accountable than the present set up.

[Peg Leg]

Remove the whip - there's an argument that you'd never actually pass any legislation and that every one-issue merchant in town, and there's plenty, would be permanently on their soap boxes.

Stronger upper house - maybe, but would need to be far more democratically accountable than the present set up.

Remove the whip and who knows, we might even get a debate around the issues being addressed. Why is it that labour the coalition partners with their own mandate feel it is necessary to fall in line with every decision the "government" make, without a squeak of opposition?

[fourthirtythree]

Backroom dealing is why. Enda is a real political animal.

Remove the whip and there'd be even more of that. And how would you anyway? Parties enforce discipline.

[Peg Leg]

Backroom dealing is why. Enda is a real political animal.

Remove the whip and there'd be even more of that. And how would you anyway? Parties enforce discipline.

Surely anonymous voting would result in a proper democracy and a closer representation of public opinion, rather than relying on the multitude of advisors they have to determine party policy.

[ronk]

Let them initiate legislation, give them a sphere of influence (not money bills). Let the president decide any difficult questions.

Allow 5 seater constituencies and have each province a constituency, possibly divide Dublin out of Leinster ( for balance). (25 senators) Have a national election at different times from general elections, possibly at local election time. Keep the NUI candidates, but remove the 11 taoiseach appointees and reform (greatly reducing) the special panels, removing the ability of senators, and TDs etc. to elect senators.

I'd aim for a seanad of 40 total. I'd possibly include a diaspora senator or senators.

[fourthirtythree]

Backroom dealing is why. Enda is a real political animal.

Remove the whip and there'd be even more of that. And how would you anyway? Parties enforce discipline.

Surely anonymous voting would result in a proper democracy and a closer representation of public opinion, rather than relying on the multitude of advisors they have to determine party policy.

But if they vote anonymously you don't know if they are following your instructions, and then they become even more susceptible to corporate largesse than they are now....