Sean Dunne and Dail Reform

Posted on November 26, 2009 at 10:53 PM

Dail reform is the perennial issue, very topical, as if Dail reform would solve our economic woes. In fact Dail reform in the sense of how the Dail conducts its business is being looked at by the whips at the moment and I am on the Labour subcommittee to advise our own whip on the discussions.  There are some worthwhile changes proposed including to the daily ritual of Dail Order of Business, which to be honest is a bit of a waste of time. You can only raise “promised legislation”, although many T.D.s do their best to make their chosen topic fit within this requirement.

When I was in the Seanad you could raise virtually anything you wished during Order of Business and Senators took full advantage. You could even talk about the weather, which I tried almost unsuccessfully to do today at Order of Business in the Dail.  The new Ceann Comhairle, Seamus Kirk T.D., intervened to stop me mid flow on the basis that I was not raising promised legislation.  I was asking if the Government would consider setting up a scheme whereby people could donate money towards a fund for those that have suffered loss or injury from the flooding. The donations would be to supplement Government aid.   I told a fib to the Ceann Comhairle that I was raising secondary legislation and I kept speaking when he tried to stop me. Because I was out of order I didn’t get much of a response from the Tanaiste except that she would revert.  Hopefully the whips will agree some worthwhile changes to the daily routine of Dail business.  As representatives elected by the people we should have more opportunities to raise the most pressing issues of the day in the Dail.

By coincidence I met former Labour T.D. Barry Desmond going into Leinster House today.  I spoke to Barry about his Book ‘No Workers’ Republic! Reflections on Labour and Ireland 1913-1967’.  I had bought a copy for my father and for myself.  I read a bit tonight.  It’s the kind of book you can dip in and out of.  There is plenty of detail and first hand knowledge and copies of old election leaflets and photographs.  There is a photograph that includes Michael Gannon, from Lucan, Labour councillor for about 30 years. I followed Michael on to the Council.  There is also interesting information about Sean Dunne who passed away many years ago, and served as Labour T.D. for my area. The local branch in Lucan is called the Lucan Sean Dunne Branch of the Labour Party.  Sean in his early Dail career had apparently perfected the disruption of Order of Business proceedings on the issues of the day bringing him extensive coverage in the evening papers. Sean ran for relection in 1969 and was elected with Dr. John O’Connell in the Dublin South West Constituency but never took his seat after the election.  He took ill after a vote recount and died a few days later.  Sean had prepared a policy document of proposals for the reform of Dail procedures for the Labour Parliamentary Party before the 1969 election.  It was, Barry writes, a progressive document and well received by the media. Sean had proposed that a Standing Committee of the Dail should be established to debate the Committee Stage of Bills and Departmental Estimates. This proposal was obviously the predecessor to our Select and Joint Committees. He also proposed that Dail proceedings be televised and that time be provided for ‘Private Members’ Bills. Sean had first proposed the broadcasting of Dail proceedings on radio in 1949. 

 ‘No Workers Republic! Reflections on Labour and Ireland, 1913-1976’ Barry Desmond (Watchword publications).

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