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Ireland's political and cultural magazine
A
TOURIST asks for directions and
gets the reply: ‘Well sir, if I were
you, I wouldn’t start from here’.
This well worn and condescending
gibe holds a relevant message. If you want to
get somewhere, it’s best to start from a place
that gives you a good chance of reaching your
goal. If we want real reform of
our democratic institutions,
then it might be worth starting
from a place from which that
goal is achievable. A referen-
dum on the Seanad was not the
place to start.
Dr Shane Martin from the
University of Leicester, speaking
at a recent Claiming Our Future
event, argued that the politi-
cal system will never engage
in meaningful political reform.
Reform is simply not in the inter-
est of those within the system.
Reform has to come from out-
side the party-political system.
This is evident from the gov-
ernment’s recent proposals for
Dáil reform. These represent a
classic case of ‘tinkering’. It is
hard to dismiss any of the pro-
posals but neither is it possible to
see how a few extra hours sitting
time or inviting in a handful of
newspaper letter-writers offers
substantive political reform.
But is one man’s tinkering
another’s radical reform? Is an
incremental approach possi-
ble or do we need to start from
scratch?
One theme evident in the Claiming Our
Future debate was that reform of our polit-
ical institutions is meaningless without a
much broader look at Irish democracy. We
do need stronger institutions, but that is one
small part of a much bigger picture. We need
radical reform of local government, active
engagement of citizens and communities in
the decisions that affect them, and a political
culture that values accountability, transpar-
ency and genuine leadership. We need to take
on the clandestine exercise of power by banks,
corporations and the very wealthy. We need to
include those who have been
forced to leave Ireland, and
everyone who is living here
in the democratic process.
Another key theme in the
debate was that the Claiming
Our Future values of equality,
sustainability, accountability,
participation and solidar-
ity could usefully guide the
reforms that we need.
Equality is compro-
mised when the Dáil fails to
reflect the diversity of soci-
ety. Genuinely representative
democratic structures would
in turn provide the vision and
initiative for achieving greater
equality. This value suggests
the need for change in the
electoral system and in how
the democratic institutions
operate.
Environmental sustaina-
bility illuminates the need for
a Dáil that takes a long-term
perspective and has the nec-
essary knowledge, skills and
commitment to address this
challenge. The designation
of a responsible Minister, the
strengthening of international
co-operation between the Dáil and other par-
liaments, the monitoring of quality-of-life or
sustainability indicators and the introduc-
tion of an annual environmental budget could
respond to this value.
Accountability would require our elected
politicians to be able adequately to hold the
government to account. It also points to the
need for a political accountability to their con-
stituents that would strengthen our political
culture. This value could drive a separation
of government from the Dáil, with Ministers
resigning their role as TDs, and a greater
capacity and structures for ongoing citizen
engagement.
Participation would involve the Dáil in
providing opportunities for participation by
those affected by its decisions. This value sug-
gests the need for citizens’ petitions, town-hall
and email voting, cross-sectoral roundtables,
greater emphasis on education and political
engagement, and stronger - perhaps regional
and parish - local government.
Solidarity highlights the need to include
the many groups who are actively excluded
by our democratic system, the voices that
went unheard even during a boom when the
government attempted to be all things to all
voters. This value poses the biggest challenge
to the political system and to all elements of
that system. It is fundamental to any com-
munity that would call itself a democracy, or
a republic.
The values are signposts for political
reform. Everyone agrees a debate is needed,
though those who hold the reins or believe
they may ever hold the reins seem to oper-
ate with less sincerity than their electorates.
Putting to one side the issue of whether
abolishing the Seanad is considered to be pro-
gressive or anti-democratic, a vote either way
will not improve our democracy, for it is the
wrong referendum, the wrong issue.
Anna Visser is Convenor of the Democracy
Working Group of Claiming Our Future
Seanad vote won’t improve
democracy a jot
dáil reFOrm NEWS
Dáil and local government must embrace
equality, sustainability, accountability,
participation, and solidarity. By Anna Visser
It is
impossible
to see how
government
proposals for
a few extra
hours’ Dáil
sitting time
or inviting in
a handful of
newspaper
letter-writers
offers
substantive
political
reform
“
the man
on the
left is the
democrat
