Resources & Legislation

The Green Party recently proposed a bill to clean up the process by which people are appointed to public bodies, including taskforces, executive boards and advisory agencies. The bill, which was debated during private members time in the Dáil, aims to bring Ireland's system of public appointments into line with other countries and ensure that all appointments are made on grounds of merit, not cronyism.
Green Party Leader Trevor Sargent TD said: "Executive bodies, taskforces and advisory agencies have mushroomed in the last decade. There are over five hundred such bodies, many of which perform extremely significant functions in the running of the country. The expansion of this form of governance has not however been accompanied by an open, merit-based system of making appointments. Currently they are made at ministers' discretion. In its term of office, this Government has been responsible for over 6,000 such appointments.
"It has perhaps been in the Government's interest to leave procedures open to the possibility of Ministerial patronage and this has led to some questionable decision making in the past. We seek to end the possibility of putting friends in high places. As well as banning corporate donations and establishing a national register of lobbyists the Green Party aims to put a stop to undemocratic practices and restore public confidence in the political system."
Green Party Finance spokesperson Dan Boyle TD said: "Given the number of appointments and the importance of the functions which appointees perform, the defecit in democratic procedures is immense. Current processes mean that in the majority of cases there are no formal recruitment processes, few criteria for selection and little sign of accountability procedures. Our proposals would create an independent merit based system for appointing chairpersons and board members. We propose the establishment of a unit within the Commission for Public Service Appointments charged with drawing up a code of practice and carrying out open competition and recruitment processes on behalf of departments. A new Dáil Committee would furthermore ratify appointments and enforce non-compliance procedures.
Green Party Chairman John Gormley TD said: "We have lessons to learn from Canada and the UK who, following a series of public confidence crises, have led the way with their reform efforts. In the UK for instance a special body has been established to handle appointments in the area of health. Here we have the Minister for Health and Children responsible for large numbers of such appointments without any independent oversight. We are not saying that all appointments are questionable but the process is far too ad hoc, random and potentially fused with subjective judgements. Bodies such as the Democracy Commission, TASC and Transparency International have all called for reform which the Green Party is now introducing. It's up to the other parties to support our bill and to prove that they too have nothing to lose by implementing these reforms, and everything to gain in terms of integrity."

The Green Party appointments to public bodies bill includes the following proposals:
The establishment of an independent merit-based appointment system for chairpersons and board members of all public bodies involving:
An appointments to public bodies unit within the Commission for Public Service Appointments. The unit will be charged with drawing up a code of practice and carrying out the new open competition and recruitment processes.
A Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Appointments to review all current appointment procedures and decide which are to come under the new procedures, ratify appointments and enforce non-compliance procedures.
Ensuring special appointments to international organisations, such as the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development, are subject to a Dáil vote

Read the full Appointments to Public Bodies Bill 2007

Other Significant Government Bills

Planning & Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006
Building Control Bill 2005

Green Party Private Members Bills

Flouride (Repealof Enactments)Bill 2006
This Bill stops flouride from being added to Irish drinking water supplies.
National Pensions Reserve Fund (Ethical Investment) Amendment Bill 2006
This Bill provides for an ethical investment policy for the national pensions reserve fund.
Twenty Eighth Amendment of the Constitution (No. 3) Bill 2006
This Bill shortens the term of the Presidential office, changes the rules for nomination and provides for changed procedural matters.
Twenty-Eighth Amendment of the Constitution (No. 2) Bill 2006
This Bill provides for every citizen over 18 to have the right to run for Dail, Senead and Presidency elections.
Climate Change Targets Bill 2005
This Bill provides for a longterm partnership approach to Ireland’s climate change obligations.
Planning and Development (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2004
This Bill provides for a mandatory requirement to preserve and list public rights of in particular rights of way which give access to the sesashore,mountain, lakeshore,riverbank or other places of natural beauty or recreational utility.
Sustainable Communities Bill 2004
This Bill provides for the empowerment of local government and citizens opening the way to sustainable local communities that are actively involved in the decision making processes for their future and able to exercise ownership and choice over their economic, social and political environment.
Fur Farming (Prohibition) Bill 2004
This bill prohibits the keeping of animals solely or primarily for slaughter for the value of their fur or for breeding progency for such slaughter.
Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2003
This Bill strenghtens the role of the broadcasting commission regarding its health related responsibilities in regulating advertising output and its impact on the public, especially children.
Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2003
This Bill provides for measures to discourage land speculation
National Transport Authority Bill 2003
This Bill provides for the amalgamation of the national roads authority and the national rail procurement agency.
Waste Management (Amendment) Bill 2002This Bill provides for enhanced duties regarding waste management plans at local authority level.Planning and Development (Wetlands Habitats) (Amendment) Bill 2002
This bill prohibits development involving land reclammation and public areas.
Organic Food and Farming Targets Bill 2000
This Bill makes provision for the setting and achievement of targets for organic farming and food consumption. Twenty-First Amendment of the Constitution Bill 1999
This Bill seeks to ensure that the public will be consulted by way of referendum should the government decide to join a military body or alliance.
Road Traffic Reduction Bill 1998
This Bill seeks to maintain sustainable levels of traffic on roads.
Public Office Bill 1997
This Bill seeks to abolish dual local, national and European Mandates