Government & Oireachtas Reform

Fine Gael don’t want to simply talk about change. We want to demonstrate that we mean what we say. To persuade the electorate that we are serious about change, we ourselves have to embody that change. We are for a political system and public service that can square up to the challenge of delivering high quality services with fewer resources.

That is why Enda Kenny during his 2009 address to the Fine Gael Presidential Dinner has committed Fine Gael in Government to a referendum on the abolition of the Seanad and on a cut in the number of TDs. To be credible, public sector transformation must start with politics and with real political leadership. Small and large democracies the world over have shown how effective democratic governance and accountability can be delivered with a unicameral parliament. Our call to abolish the Seanad will be followed, over the coming weeks, by presentation of a new modernising vision for the public sector, involving, among other things, the merger or abolition of up to 90 Government agencies in a way that protects the most important services for citizens.

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Local Government Reform

Local Government is in limbo in Ireland, if not in crisis. Since independence Local Government has suffered from an identity crisis as it lacked a strong primary mission. As a result there is a strong disconnect between local authorities, councillors and their respective communities. Local authorities have been constantly sidelined when it comes to providing new services on a local level with central Government either providing services directly or devolving powers to an agency or ‘quango’. Fine Gael has published a comprehensive policy to completely overhaul local government in order to deliver better services at better value for the taxpayer.