THE Independent Alliance is to seek support for introducing a five-year fixed Dail term, which would make it easier to form a minority government.
The six-strong political group will introduce the idea in talks with both Fianna Fail and Fine Gael this week, but it will also seek support for the plan from other independents, as a way to remove the threat of an early general election if a government fails to get its budget through the Dail.
“Under our proposal, a lost budget vote wouldn’t bring down the Dail,” said Michael Fitzmaurice, an Alliance deputy for Roscommon-Galway.
“Instead, we’d have to come back on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and work away until we could build a budget that would get the support of the Dail. That would certainly focus people’s minds.”
Ministers who lost a vote of confidence would still have to resign their posts.
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As other groups also draw up proposals for Dail reform this weekend, Enda Kenny, who leads Fine Gael , and Micheál Martin, the Fianna Fail leader, are both set to fall short of the support needed to secure election as taoiseach on Thursday.
Sinn Fein, the AAA/PBP and far-left independents such as Clare Daly, Mick Wallace, Seamus Healy, Thomas Pringle, Joan Collins, Tommy Broughan and Catherine Connolly are expected to vote against both candidates.
Sinn Fein will propose Gerry Adams as taoiseach and the Independent Alliance will meet tomorrow to discuss the possibility of proposing an independent TD. If they decide against that proposal, more moderate independents and smaller groups are likely not to support anyone for taoiseach.
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Denis Naughten, an independent TD for Roscommon-Galway, said he will be meeting Kenny on Wednesday, and Martin this weekend. “I’ve drawn up a document outlining proposals for changes to standing orders in the Dail which should be implemented before any government is formed,” he said. “There is no need for a month to discuss political reform, as Martin has suggested. All the ideas are out there. These changes can be made on Thursday, after the votes for taoiseach.”
Among the proposals put forward by Naughten is a plan for the Dail, not the taoiseach, to dictate what business is dealt with by parliament every week. The Roscommon TD is also suggesting groups of five or more TDs be recognised by the Houses of the Oireachtas, and win speaking rights in the Dail and a proportional share of committee membership.
Naughten said he had not yet decided if he would be voting for Kenny or Martin next week, or whether he will abstain. Stephen Donnelly, one of the leaders of the Social Democrats, said the party had not yet made any decision as to whom it may support. Yesterday the party called for the establishment of an all-party forum on Dail reform which should meet within the next week to agree a reform programme under the direction of an independent chair.
Éamon Ryan, leader of the Greens, said the party would find it difficult to vote for any taoiseach in the absence of a programme for government. “Until we have a clear sense of what is going to happen, what type of government is going to be formed, and what they are planning to do, it’s hard to vote for anyone,” he said. “There is a danger in abstaining, because if everyone abstained, and then a few people decided at the last minute not to, someone could be elected almost by accident.”
Ryan said the Green party has had “general conversations” with all the main parties, but had not yet discussed any specific demands. “My sense is this will take a bit of time,” he said. “We want to see a stable government. We’re not going to start laying out red-line issues. We have concerns in a number of areas such as transport and housing.”
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The Green party does not support Fianna Fail’s stance that water charges be abolished. “I don’t see how that improves anything,” Ryan said.
Maureen O’Sullivan, an independent in Dublin Central said she had been contacted by both parties and would speak to them again this week. She is likely to abstain in the vote for taoiseach, and said her position would ultimately be determined by the strength of the parties’ plans on housing, health and Dail reform.
Mattie McGrath, an independent Tipperary TD, also said he was likely to abstain this week. McGrath said he has had a couple of conversations with Martin about the vote. “One of my main priorities is political reform. We need more equality on things like speaking rights.”