FUNDING AND CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM:THE IRISH Constitution needed fundamental reform and it was disappointing the constitutional convention was given items of minor significance to consider, former minister and founder of the Progressive Democrats, Desmond O'Malley, has said.
He also told the MacGill Summer School in Glenties the funding of political parties on the basis of past electoral performance was inhibiting the formation of new parties and this was a danger to democracy.
In a rare platform appearance, Mr O’Malley said: “The Constitution’s greatest flaws lie in its unnecessary length and detail and in its close reflection of the values of the 1930s. It contains a large number of provisions that are not fundamental and which should instead be dealt with by ordinary legislation.
“As a result it becomes unavoidable to have to amend it quite regularly. This diverts the attention of the government and the Oireachtas from important matters. Things tend to grind to a halt as we endure yet another excruciating referendum campaign.”
He added: “I have believed for more than 25 years that our constitution requires fundamental reform for a variety of reasons. The passage of time and recent events make reform more necessary and more urgent.”
He said it was “disappointing that the proposed constitutional convention is being given an agenda of items of minor significance”.
Mr O’Malley added: “Over the past decade or so there has been a development in the political system which I regard as rather sinister, but which gets little or no public or media attention. This is the manner in which politics is now funded. As a result of bribery and similar corruption scandals, political parties and political activity are now predominantly funded from the public purse.
“At first sight this seems sensible and unavoidable. But it has some serious consequences. Most of the funding is distributed to political parties on the basis of electoral performance at the previous general election.
“One of the principal effects of this in practice is to inhibit the formation of new parties and to strengthen the predominant position of the existing parties.
“It has, and will continue to have, the effect of propping up and prolonging the status quo. That is hardly good for Ireland,” the former minister said.
Recalling the Celtic Tiger years, Sunday Times journalist and author Justine McCarthy quoted the playwright Noel Coward, who said: “The higher the buildings the lower the morals.” She noted that “some of the high buildings have started to come down” but there was scant evidence that morals in public life had started to rise.
