Irish Politics and Government

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A suggested new type of

Parliamentary System for Ireland

CUTTING the COSTS - CRAP - CRONYISM - 
CORRUPTION and CUTE WHOREISM

Rant Warning Issued

1.  There would be 30 maximum number of MPs elected. There is never much more than that in the chamber anyway.

2. Election would be on a countrywide basis – no electoral areas involved –  no constituencies or constituents to answer to, and therefore no cronyism or favour repaying or regional power broking.

3. There would be NO candidature for the election. Every citizen in good standing over 21 years, would be eligible for election.

4. All individuals with any history of shady banking, tax, or business dealings would automatically be eliminated. All those with criminal records would be discounted.

5. All sitting and previous TDs and Senators etc. would be excluded in the initial 7 years of the new system.

6. Electioneering, advertising, jockeying for position, or any other form of trumpet blowing would immediately invalidate individuals from the election. Citizens so doing on behalf of others would both eliminate themselves and those they canvassed for.

7. Every citizen of the electorate would be asked to write the names and addresses of 5 people irrespective of age, sex, or position, who they felt would best serve the country.

8. The criteria for the named individuals would be; honesty, truthfulness, maturity, lack of ego, freedom from party political divisive thinking, and a desire to serve the nation.

9. Five only names on the paper, more or less would invalidate, the names would need some identifying information such as address etc.

10. The counting would be simple; the 30 individuals with the highest number of ballots would be elected.

11. No challenges allowed to the count – results are final.

12. The 30 elected would undergo an intensive training of at least 3 months to assist them in undertaking the task ahead. The training would include, moral and ethical training, emotional intelligence, consultation skills, rapport creating skills, consensus thinking, lateral thinking, etc.

13. During training, any who felt they could not serve would be replaced automatically by the next on the list from the count.

14. By-elections would not be necessary due to deaths or retirement, the list would simply be moved up the required number.

15. Any MPs who are found to curry favours, do deals, get involved in property or other business dealings, could be voted out of the house by the other deputies.

16. They would automatically be replaced by the next available name on the count list.

17. Consensus would be the methodology employed by the new house but in a vote 2 over half of those present would carry.  If there were 20 in the house – 12 would carry a vote.

18. MPs would NOT be answerable to their constituents – they would not have a constituency.

19. Any form of lobbying would be forbidden by law, and would carry penalties.

20.  Annual salary would be €60,000.

21.  Salary would only be paid on the days actually attended at the Dail, with the exception of sick leave, where two doctors signed off.

22.  Expenses would be capped at €10,000 maximum per year, and all payments be conditional on valid receipts being produced.




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