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GOVERNMENT CHIEF WHIP Paul Kehoe will look at the possibility of relaxing the strict party whip system that Fine Gael currently operates in the Dáil and Seanad after the next election.
His comments, in an interview with TheJournal.ie, come as the Cabinet yesterday signed off on a series of Dáil reforms that will be announced today.
A relaxation of the whip system to allow TDs in Fine Gael a free vote on certain legislation has been widely called for particularly in relation to the abortion bill but will not happen in this term, Kehoe insisted. However he did say he will look at it if Fine Gael is re-elected.
He said: “What I would like to do is that if Fine Gael are in power after the next general election it is something that I would like to see changes [to].
“I won’t say changed but just looking at the whole area of the whip system and seeing are there areas [where] we can relax it. I don’t know, but it’s something that I am looking at.”
One of the major changes to be announced today will be that more legislation will follow the same approach as the one taken to the abortion bill earlier this year where there were extensive Oireachtas committee hearings.
Other plans include Friday sittings (but not every week), that the Dáil will sit earlier and for longer, and more time will be devoted to a backlog of Private Members’ Bills.
The reforms being outlined today are not contingent on the Seanad being abolished.
“They will happen either way. I think it’s a very important part of the package of reforms that we are bringing forward,” Kehoe said.
The Fine Gael TD for Wexford said that one of the most important reforms would be to “give the general public more ownership of lawmaking and involving them in the legislative process”.
This would follow the template of the Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill where there were Oireachtas hearings both before and after the draft Heads of Bill were published.
Kehoe’s comments on possible changes to the whip system come in the wake of Fine Gael losing five TDs and two senators who were expelled from the parliamentary party over their vote against the Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill in July.
Kehoe did say it was his view that a whip system was neccessary for government and said he had been studying other parliaments where, he claimed, the whip system is even stronger than in Ireland.
“We don’t want to run a dictatorship but every modern parliament right across the world operates under the whip system, or some form of whip system,” he added.
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New world record – Government starts to lie about second term halfway through first term!!!!
More democracy – but not yet. Like the guy outside the knocking shop – Lord, grant me virtue – soon!
“A system like the consultation during the protection of life during pregnancy bill”…Was that the same one where psychiatric consultants indicated there was zero evidence of abortions preventing suicide but they put through anyway?
Don’t conflate democracy with the removal of the whip, it won’t be very democratic when arse end of nowhere TDs starting holding the national policy agenda hostage with a NIL vote unless they get a bypass and a hospital.
Government chief whip will look at allowing free Dáil votes after next election
Or maybe the one after that. But it’ll happen soon, I swear.
Don’t worry Paul Kehoe chances are you won’t be re-elected, you done such a poor job this time, the people would have to be insane to even consider voting for any Fine Gael or Labour representative.. It’s DEMOCRACY we want not DICTATORSHIP
It wont worry him. He wont be there.
Too little too late, please don’t insult peoples intelligence, or memory, by making promises.
Sure isn’t that what you do in an election campaign…
That whip system should be abolished its not democratic.
Come back luncinda all is forgiven
She’s just as big a hypocrite as the rest of them she voted for all the other cuts, she should get the door like all the rest of them will
Denise
Are you actually mistaking Irish Politics for democracy?
Nice car Mr. Kehoe, even comes with a driver!! Maybe we need a whip around to pay for it!
I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.
I fkn hate those photos of these worms in the state cars being chauffeured around like they mean something.
Sack ‘em all, I say.
Sack em all and start again
We’ve been doing that at least every five years for as long as I can remember, and it’s still not working!
…which is why we need a legal system like Direct Democracy.
It would mean YOU at any time of the year – ALL year – EVERY year, could hold them fully accountable for their actions.
…And if the Seanad (which does indeed need reform) foes go – then god help us all because there will be nothing to stop them doing more unaccountable, dictatorship stuff!
Good look with that, there are too many Great Aunty Mary’s in Mayo with cracked footpaths for that to happen.
The Direct Democracy system works at all levels and had proven to do so.
Its helped fix many a road at local level by holding accountable those that are meant to be doing it – while at national level, holding accountable those higher up, the power ladder, those in transport departments that issue orders and finance to the local levels.
I know you were being somewhat lighthearted but as you brought it up, it could be used as an example to show how things could be done.
Don’t take my word for it though – as the Swiss for the last 150+ years how well their country is running – even the condition of their national and local roads!
The US doesn’t operate a whip system. The voting record of their public representatives is a matter of public record and scrutinised at election time by voters. Democrats often vote for Republican bills and vice versa. Private members bills can become law if there is enough support (unlike here where anything not proposed by the government is automatically dead in the water because of the whip system).
Yes, but they have a totally different system. They have executive president who has quite a lot of power but even he gets blocked from time to time by one or both houses of parliament. As a result, you often get political gridlock. Sometimes thats a good thing, sometimes not (e.g. the US ‘financial clff’).
There is no perfect system. However, I’ll admit that ours is far from perfect and a relaxation of the whip system would be a very welcome move.
The same thing iBob101 happens in Germany, which has a system much more like others, but which outlaws the whip.
The only whip that should be in use there is a cat o nine tails, that would motivate them!
They could abolish payments to whips just for being whips for a start. And get rid of the Ceann Comhairle’s €70k allowance while you’re at it. Is it not enough that he doesn’t have to stand for election next term and is automatically given another 5 years in Bisto land?
http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/tdssenators/salariesallowances/daileireann/
Paul Kehoe need not worry about after the next election. He’ll never get re elected after all the crap he pulled down here in his own constituency.
The word is he wont stand.
Has Russia got a whip system
Not sure but the yanks use waterboarding .
Russian system not to dissimilar to the Irish system, if you don’t agree with Putin you are dead and don’t run in any more elections.
Michael
I believe great glorious Kim uses the same protocol in North Korea.
The dictator bullying of females and her thousands of thus voters, is coming back to haunt his record then?
I doubt it.
This is more like more empty PR spin and promises a head of the local and national election further down the road.
We have already seem too many times just how the words of the disgusting liars in government have betrayed the people, with their prior words and promises.
THEY LIE!
As it was stated on the Vincent Browne TV3 show by a member of this government “isn’t that what we do!” or words to that effect!
Forgive me if I don’t trust a word out of these guys mouths – they are all the same – empty promises and say what the hell they will just to foll the nations people yet again. Sadly some will fall for it – but thankfully too, some of will not be so short memoried when it comes to election time!
Their time in government is ticking down…
Pat Rabbitte “Isn’t that what you tend to do during an election?”
Labour Party admit pre election lies
Look into it, after the next election. Means will do nothing.
He a parasite like the rest of Dáil Éireann who’s the blue shirter fg head going around giving all the red thumbs they are disgusting who ever they are vile repulsive
If they think it’s important enough to do after the next election then why not just do it now? There is absolutely nothing stopping them from introducing it today if they wanted to.
Same old political crap.
Well said. Exactly!
Paul Kehoe hints at getting rid of the whip system after the next election.
However would this depend on the Irish Citizens voting to abolish the Seanad, and trusting that Enda will allow it to happen, should FG retain power by any chance?
more lies lies lies
Anyone know what date the next referendum is on after this one if they don’t get the result they want?
Too late!
Trying to buy votes after the horse has bolted!
Dictator Enda!!
Democracy Is dead!
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