Waste Of Dail Time - Pointless Questions

imme

I guess they have to be seen to be doing something.

But I never seem to be amazed by the number and quality of the questions that opposition TD's put to the government.

These questions are often a waste imo, a waste of time and waste of potential.

The most recent one was Dara Calleary (FF, Mayo) who asked Justice & Defence Minister what the bill was for the state visits of QE2 and President Obama.

Son Of A Vidic

I don't think the sample question you gave is a pointless question. We have a right to know what it cost us the taxpayer. Especially in light of the continued spending cuts coming our way, that as usual will target our critical services.

later12

I think that's a poor example of a pointless question, OP. An expense of almost €40m is significant in an economy like ours.

My biggest issue with political questions is how little they rely on evidence. No offence to the quality of discourse in AH, but sometimes the Dail more resembles that forum than it does a national legislature. Questions and political intercourse seem to be based on the most apocryphal and puzzling statements, or are answered with no recourse to evidence of any kind.

The vast majority of parliamentary dialogue, in both directions, is based on hearsay. It is incredible. You wouldn't get its like from a bunch of 1st year undergraduates, and these guys are running our country.

I would love to tune into Oireachtas Report or Dail TV and see a member of the opposition stand up and cite an academic article or unbiased statistical evidence, and for a Minister or a Government representative reply with further academic evidence as to why s/he takes aparticular stance, or else agree to look into the available evidence.

Why does this not occur? All we seem to get are politicians shouting over one another. They make statements of dubious reliability with shoddy or unclear or inconsistent policy behind these statements, and shoddy, unclear, and inconsistent attacks in reply.

RMD

The problem is Ministers who aren't qualified for the position they're supposedly representing. Although she isn't anymore, Mary Harney was Minister for Health and Children? What faith should I have in a person in that position who is obese and childless for Christ's sake?

Ruairi Quinn is an architect, what does an architect know about the position of Minister for Education?

The only 2 politicians in that cabinet who I'd consider wholly qualified for their positions are Richard Bruton (Mphill Economics from Oxford) and James Reilly (Previously president of the Irish Medical Organization).

Nothing is more embarassing than seeing a politician stammering and stuttering over and over trying to create a decent answer which most LC students could quickly answer. The debating skills of most TDs is laughable to say the least.

later12

RMD wrote: »

The problem is Ministers who aren't qualified for the position they're supposedly representing. Although she isn't anymore, Mary Harney was Minister for Health and Children? What faith should I have in a person in that position who is obese and childless for Christ's sake?

Ruairi Quinn is an architect, what does an architect know about the position of Minister for Education?

That means nothing. CJ Haughey was a barrister, and an accountant. By your standards, he was more qualified than Sean Lemass for Trade & Commerce, and more qualified than Michael Collins was for Justice.

Thankfully, we know better than to appoint representatives - who are after all, policy heads - to Ministerial office based solely upon direct experience of that particular field.

imme

RMD wrote: »

The problem is Ministers who aren't qualified for the position they're supposedly representing. Although she isn't anymore, Mary Harney was Minister for Health and Children? What faith should I have in a person in that position who is obese and childless for Christ's sake?

Ruairi Quinn is an architect, what does an architect know about the position of Minister for Education?

The only 2 politicians in that cabinet who I'd consider wholly qualified for their positions are Richard Bruton (Mphill Economics from Oxford) and James Reilly (Previously president of the Irish Medical Organization).

Nothing is more embarassing than seeing a politician stammering and stuttering over and over trying to create a decent answer which most LC students could quickly answer. The debating skills of most TDs is laughable to say the least.

those with a piece of paper aren't always able to politically direct their abilities.

imme

Of course this Dail question was a waste of time and effort.

We invited QE2 and Obama to our country, they came and security etc had to be provided.
What did the amount benefit our knowledge.

Will we devolve security detail to the Civil Defence for future visits.

The opposition spokesman was seeking to embarrass the govt, that's all.

Pointless. Waste of time and effort.

Fail.

ascanbe

'Waste of Dail time' - is that a tautology? Too many words to be an oxymoron, i think.
Perhaps there's another definition.