FIANNA FÁIL MANIFESTO:FIANNA FÁIL is proposing a reformed Oireachtas that would be capable of challenging the executive arm of government more, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said yesterday.
Speaking at the launch of the party’s manifesto in Dublin, Mr Martin said the party wanted to see “a much stronger parliament, a bit more like the American model, which challenges the executive much, much more and, over time, one would see the development of a creative tension between parliament and executive, which, if we’re all honest about it, is lacking at the moment.”
Real Plan: Better Future, was launched by Mr Martin yesterday at the Hugh Lane Municipal Gallery on Parnell Square.
Mr Martin was accompanied by former Cabinet colleagues including Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan, Minister for Tourism and deputy party leader Mary Hanafin, as well as frontbench members who are not Oireachtas members such as Cllr Mary Fitzpatrick and Averil Power.
On the economy, Mr Martin said the manifesto contained “no new spending commitments”, but there were specific pledges, promises and strategies.
“Firstly, I want to say clearly and unambiguously the National Recovery Plan provides the foundation for our real plan for a better future. The recovery plan provides a blueprint for Ireland to return to sustainable growth.”
Mr Martin outlined how Fianna Fáil would introduce a system whereby ministers would cease to be TDs for their term in cabinet, and their places in the Dáil would be taken by substitutes.
He said this would allow members of the Cabinet more time to attend to their functions, and there would be “a real parliament which is separate from government”.
There was already a system of alternates in the European Parliament.
“It doesn’t make sense that, from day one, 20 per cent of your parliament is in essence taken out of the system by virtue of ministerial appointments.”
Fianna Fáil was also proposing that ministers could be appointed from outside the Oireachtas.
“We’re very unusual in the sense that we do draw from a very narrow range of people in terms of government institutions and so on.”
He added: “I want to get away from the Punch and Judy show that parliament is at the moment, where most mornings, if you go in for the Order of Business, it’s really about short-term, adversarial commentary: who can get the fastest soundbite out and who can get the headline for the next news bulletin.”
On the question of abolishing the Seanad, he said: “What we don’t want is superficial reform. We don’t want people saying ‘we’re going to abolish the Seanad’ and that’s the end of the story because it’s not the end of the story.”
He added: “What we are simply saying is, the Dáil itself is as much in need of radical reform in terms of how it does its business as the Seanad.
“And we’re saying, we want to see the reforms that we’ve put forward happening in the Dáil and government before we’re going to just take the superficial gesture of abolishing the Seanad.”
Mr Martin said Fianna Fáil would “propose a role for a citizens’ assembly in the development of these reform proposals before any referendums”.
“We propose lower limits on political donations, and to ban corporate donations to political parties in line with the Bill which should have been passed this month.”
He said Fianna Fáil would make Ireland a global innovation hub, attracting new products, designs and services.
“We have ambitious plans to support arts and culture, the green economy, including the establishment of a green IFSC, and developing the digital economy.”
