The effectiveness of the legislative and scrutinising roles in the Republic or Ireland. - page 2
Keywords: republic of ireland legislative scrutiny dail eireann td teachta dala
By exploiit on 19/06/2010
Level: A Level (Year 13)
Page Number: 2 of 4 pages: 1 2 3 4
entire Dáil was involved in the committee stage of a bill’s passage, but this has since been reformed. Today, special committees (like general committees in the United Kingdom) represent the Dáil in smaller numbers and are able to propose amendments to legislation. As these committees are not televised like debates, TDs can work effectively to deliberate on bills instead of trying to act theatrical and adversarial as they would inevitably do otherwise. Further reform in this area has been suggested, with critics claiming that by moving special committees from third to first stage in a bill’s passage, TDs would have much more say in the shaping of legislation, as oppose to simply discussing legislation that has already been largely formed in its formal introduction (first) stage.
Private Members’ Bills provide TDs with another chance to legislate. Although private members’ bills prove much less successful than ministerial proposals, TDs can either propose bills by ballot, outlining the principles of the bill in the same way a minister would in a memorandum, and this then has a chance of being picked out. Instead of this, they can choose to ‘stuff’ the ballot box without outlining what it is they will propose – a number of TDs from one party could do this, for example, increasing their chances of being picked. Having not outlined any ideas for legislation, TDs can then turn to their constituency interest groups, and then work on proposing legislating according to this. This can be used as an effective mechanism but the infrequency with which Private Members’ Bills are passed into law would suggest otherwise, with the government able to ignore them.
TDs in the Dáil can also be effective in legislating in terms of consolidation bills. These are introduced in order to ‘tidy up’ the law. After 2nd reading, consolidation bills are sent to a joint committee of both Houses for review. Although this may be limited, it is all the same an opportunity which TDs must utilize. Likewise, money bills are initiated only within the Dáil. After being defined by the Ceann Comhairle (a TD himself), TDs are given the same opportunities to consider money bills as with other bills, whereas the Seanad are restricted in their powers on these bills.
Theoretically, TDs in the Dáil have a number of ways through which they are able to scrutinise ministers although this, too, is sometimes subject to criticism. Debates are a
Last 5 comments…
There have been no comments posted for this article, but you need to register if you want to be the first!