FF clowns propose lobbyists bill

[The Herren]

Depends who is "They".

A party led by Michael Martin, with deputy leader Dev Septic Tank Og? With the stunning line up of Willie O'Dea and the other Biffo? And a younger generation like McGrath and Colleary who struggle to read a prepared speech?

The Government has a large majority. We need a credible Opposition to provide checks and balances to it. The Shinners under Grizzly Adams can't do it, the Technical Group is to disperse, and FF are still too connected to their sordid past to do it.

That is a reasonable summation of how things stand. The future looks bleak.

[Odyessus]

However, the very essence of this being a private members bill means that it will have less time for debate that a government bill, meaning it will save the Government and the wider Dáil time and money and guarantee that this bill actually gets passed in the short term rather than putting it on the long finger and spending more money on getting someone to write (probably the same bill). You seem to want to vote down a bill, waste time effort and money, just to pass the same bill somewhere between 12 and 23 months down the line. Again, why put off until tomorrow that which can easily be achieved today?

Well put. Wasn't it FG who were telling us they want to reform how the Dáil does its business, and make all legislators relevant? Now is their chance to prove it. If there is anything in the FF Bill they don't like, or there are any ideas they have to improve it, let's hear from them on the floor of the House.

[Toland]

Can they NEVER be acceptable?

More to the point, what are they there for?
They appear to be flapping about searching for a purpose.
And why?
Apparently because they need a purpose in order to make the party popular amongst the electorate once more.
I dunno about you but to me they appear to be getting things very much the wrong way round.

... and that's before you even start to consider their history!

[Toland]

Well put. Wasn't it FG who were telling us they want to reform how the Dáil does its business, and make all legislators relevant? Now is their chance to prove it. If there is anything in the FF Bill they don't like, or there are any ideas they have to improve it, let's hear from them on the floor of the House.

If you could convince me that running with the FF bill would provide quality legislation for less, then I'd be inclined to agree. I haven't seen any evidence of that (yet).