Green new PfG – Reforms of political system

I’m loving the number of verbs and provisos in the Green renegotiated Programme for Government. My favourite section is on the political system, headed, “Enhancing Our Democracy and Public Services”.

This “radical reform” includes various promises to review and advise on the implementation of various reforms with a view to doing stuff that’s good. Including…

“Establishing an Independent Electoral Commission incorporating the functions of the Standards in Public Office Commission, with enhanced powers of inspection…

This commission will be mandated to:

o Decide the constituency boundaries.

o Administer the voting registration process. Is this not done already?

o Run voter education programmes.

o Advise on mechanisms to increase the participation of women in political life, including the use of additional criteria for public funding which encourages more women and lesser represented groups.

o Recommend revised guidelines on the declaration of donations for political purposes.

Additionally “Within 12 months, the Electoral Commission will also propose reforms to the electoral system”, including:

o Make recommendations on the feasibility of extending the franchise for Presidential Elections to the Irish abroad.

o Examine and make recommendations for changes to the electoral system for Dáil elections, including the number of deputies and their means of elections.

It will also “outline” new electoral systems for Seanad Éireann” and…

o Advise on the basis for European elections to reflect new realities of the role and influence of the European Parliament, including consideration of moving towards one national constituency and using a list system.

o Make recommendations on the possibility of extending the franchise for Local Elections to those aged 16 or over.

o Set minimum standards for the taking and publication of political polls within the state to ensure fairness and accuracy.

And there’s other stuff too… t’will

“Consider options for the timing of elections for Local Authorities, the Dáil, Seanad and European Parliament. This should include the possibility of ‘midterm’ elections and running some elections on a ‘staggered or ‘rolled’ basis so that elections do not fall on the same day for very candidate or chamber.

Put in place (finally, a little foundation?) the legal mechanisms to restrict direct political donations to political parties or candidates to individual Irish citizens and residents only and facilitate a system where donations from private bodies, including businesses and corporations, can be made to a political fund which will be distributed to political parties in accordance with their electoral performance in the previous Dáil election. Ehhhh…

Further reform the system of expenses for members of the Oireachtas to ensure the system is transparent, vouched and open to scrutiny, including the regular publication of such expenses. This system will be verified and verifiable. In what way?

Introduce a Register of Lobbyists, including professional, corporate and NGO.

Introduce on a legislative basis a more open and transparent system for appointments to public bodies. The legislation will outline a procedure for the publication of all vacancies likely to occur, invite applications from the general public and from the responses create a panel of suitable persons for consideration of appointment. The legislation will also specify numbers of persons to be appointed by a Minister and will facilitate the appropriate Oireachtas Committees to make nominations to the panel.

Review the current fee structure for FOI applications and put as much information as possible on appropriate Government websites to inform the public to inform the public of the workings of Government and State institutions.

I think the whole thing looks lined up to be steam-rolled by the boys on Fianna Fáil, the language in this section is mirrored across the document. Too many provisos too many ‘guarantees to implement a revision of the review’. Too little concrete.

Have a look at the TDs’ expeneses and politicians pay bit for yourself…