Ministers’ Accountability Shouldn’t Cease when Dáil Doors Close for the Summer, says Jesuit Priest

News Release: New Website on Dáil Questions Launched by Jesuit Centre Wednesday, 9 July 2008

“When does the Government plan to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities?”

“Should TV coverage of major crime trials be allowed?”

“Do asylum seekers in direct provision have self-catering accommodation?”

“What proposals are there regarding legislation for casino gambling”?

“What will the cost be of planting mature trees at Thornton Hall?”

“What are the Department’s proposals for dealing with the annual mayhem at Halloween?

“What petrol companies do the Gardai have accounts with?”

These are just some of the many hundreds of written Parliamentary Questions asked of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform since the start of the 30 th Dáil in June 2007. In the week the House adjourns for the summer months, the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice is launching a new website that includes written questions to, and replies from, the minister who has responsibility for some of the most important – and controversial – areas of public policy, including crime, policing, prisons, human rights, immigration and asylum.

The new website will be formally launched tonight, Wednesday, 9 July 2008 , at 7 p.m., by An Ceann Comhairle, Mr John O’Donoghue TD.

Also speaking at the launch of the website will be Dr Muiris McCarthaigh, Institute of Public Administration and author of Accountability in Irish Parliamentary Politics (2005). Dr Mc Cathaigh has noted: “Parliamentary methods of holding the Government – and by extension the public service – to account have been challenged in recent years by new mechanisms (such as Freedom of Information requests), but Parliamentary Questions remain a key, if often under-appreciated, element of effective democratic governance.”

Fr Tony O’Riordan SJ, Director of the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice, said: “Even when the Dáil is in recess, government ministers should still be open to questioning by the elected representatives of the people about the policies and actions of their departments.” He suggested that serious consideration should be given establishing a system whereby, when the Dail is not sitting, TDs could put written questions to ministers, and ministers would be expected to provide a formal reply which would be published.

“The Dáil is in recess for several months of the year, but the queries and complaints of individuals and organisations about the direction of policy and the delivery of services do not cease”, Fr O’Riordan pointed out.

He said that the aim of the new website was “to make more easily accessible the valuable information relating to the responsibilities of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform which comes into the public domain as a result of written Parliamentary Questions.” He added: “The huge number and wide range of issues covered in questions to one minister alone highlights just how important to our democracy is the Parliamentary Questions process.”

Expressing thanks to the Oireachtas Debates Office for granting permission to the Jesuit Centre to reproduce the material from the Official Record that is included on the website, Fr O’Riordan said that the Jesuit Centre hoped the site would be a useful resource for politicians, public servants, journalists, community and voluntary groups, students, and member of the public.




For further information or for interviews contact:

Fr Tony O’Riordan SJ , Director, Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice

Mobile: 087 928 6945; Office: 01 855 6814

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.