TDs must treat Dail with respect
The news, which we report in today's paper, that up to a fifth of government TDs are ignoring the new Friday sittings of the Dail and opting to carry out local constituency work instead makes a nonsense of the coalition's claims of Dail reform.
Among the government TDs playing truant from today's Dail sitting are Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore, who will instead be opening the constituency office of Galway TD Derek Nolan.
Meanwhile, three junior ministers, Labour's Kathleen Lynch and Alan Kelly and Fine Gael's Fergus O'Dowd have advertised constituency clinics for today.
At the same time as the junior ministers are acting as glorified social workers, the Dail will be discussing independent TD Stephen Donnelly's proposed legislation to help homeowners in trouble with their mortgages. With a fifth of all mortgages having been either restructured and/or in arrears this is a matter of vital national importance.
Ceann Comhairle Sean Barrett has made great play of improving Dail standards, proposing that male TDs wear jackets and generally smartening up the house. Mr Barrett apparently feels that such a move would increase the esteem in which the Dail is held.
Our advice to Mr Barrett is to look beyond such superficial matters. Does it really matter what colour shirt Mick Wallace wears or if Luke "Ming" Flanagan wears a jacket? If Mr Barrett is really serious about raising public respect for the Dail then he should ensure that government TDs treat the chamber with the respect it is due and attend the Friday sittings.
