Should term limits be introduced for Dáil Éireann?

CelticDragon7

Politics should be a form of public service, not a career and so therefore I believe that we should have term limits for Dáil Éireann.

But what do each of you think?

Do you agree/disagree?

Lets Discuss

hatrickpatrick

Term limits make no sense to me. If someone is good at something, surely we'd want them to keep doing it.

G Power

and if someone stays in power too long that's not good enough for others so what are we going to do?? leaving it the way it is will suit a certain amount of people so I say change it to hell and it can't be any worse than the situation we're stuck in right now!!

Phoebas

I like the current system where the limits are set by electors at the ballot box.

Fr Tod Umptious

Phoebas wrote: »

I like the current system where the limits are set by electors at the ballot box.

Totally agree, if a TD is doing a good job they will most likely get re elected, and if not then they could loose their seat.
Plus if you have term limits then TDs that are coming to the end of their term will not be as enthusiastic to get stuff done, ie they become lame ducks.

G Power

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

Totally agree, if a TD is doing a good job they will most likely get re elected, and if not then they could loose their seat.
Plus if you have term limits then TDs that are coming to the end of their term will not be as enthusiastic to get stuff done, ie they become lame ducks.

so where's the enthusiasm in the current setup so? sure we've witnesssed governments reshuffling so they can extend pay and pensions across the board in the past, blatant abuse of the massive pay scales!! our current lot knew fairly quickly they'd only get one bite of this cherry because they reneged on every promise and statement they made while in opposition and have us by the short and curlys now because nobody wants to openly and honestly admit things are fcuked up beyond recognition.

we cannot keep doing what we've always done and expect it to be any different, ever.

Christ!! there's so much wrong it's hard to know where to flipping well start an argument for anything anymore and they know it. it suits them down to the ground that we're bombarded with the issues we're faced with and like rabbits in headlights half of us are pushing and shoving to start a fight back while the rest of us are frozen still with fear.

ArmaniJeanss

G Power wrote: »

Christ!! there's so much wrong it's hard to know where to flipping well start an argument for anything anymore and they know it. it suits them down to the ground that we're bombarded with the issues we're faced with and like rabbits in headlights half of us are pushing and shoving to start a fight back while the rest of us are frozen still with fear.

And the other half of us aren't particularly thrilled with the countrys finances but acknowledge the terrible hand the current government was dealt and are cautiously pleased with the progress being made.

hatrickpatrick

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

And the other half of us aren't particularly thrilled with the countrys finances but acknowledge the terrible hand the current government was dealt and are cautiously pleased with the progress being made.

Progress is being made on the economy (depending on what your regard as "progress" of course). Progress is not being made on bringing those who ruined it to justice.

To be honest, instead of a term limit for politicians I would introduce a system of citizen's recall - instead of giving politicians a five year term during which they can do whatever they want without facing the people's wrath, set up a system in which a petition signed by a certain proportion of voters in that constituency would result in an immediate bye-election (When I say immediate, let's say within 30 days, obviously you can't just organize the logistics of a poll overnight).

That way we'd see an end to the current "Four years of self serving policies, one year of people serving 'electioneering' policies" setup. Politicians would know that they could lose their seat at any moment, so they would have to be in democratic mode for their entire term instead of in the run up to an election.

If such a system was implemented, I would have no problem whatsoever with the good politicians remaining in their jobs for as long as the people want them to. Anyone starts getting corrupt mid-term, we can turf them out. Simple.

Fr Tod Umptious

G Power wrote: »

so where's the enthusiasm in the current setup so? sure we've witnesssed governments reshuffling so they can extend pay and pensions across the board in the past, blatant abuse of the massive pay scales!! our current lot knew fairly quickly they'd only get one bite of this cherry because they reneged on every promise and statement they made while in opposition and have us by the short and curlys now because nobody wants to openly and honestly admit things are fcuked up beyond recognition.

we cannot keep doing what we've always done and expect it to be any different, ever.

Christ!! there's so much wrong it's hard to know where to flipping well start an argument for anything anymore and they know it. it suits them down to the ground that we're bombarded with the issues we're faced with and like rabbits in headlights half of us are pushing and shoving to start a fight back while the rest of us are frozen still with fear.

After you finish your rant explain to me the benefits of term limits please

antoobrien

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

Progress is being made on the economy (depending on what your regard as "progress" of course). Progress is not being made on bringing those who ruined it to justice.

Yes it is, the repossession loophole has been closed.

ORaghallaigh

I don't believe that people should see a career in politics as a viable career option. It should be seen as you taking a break from your main career to take up service of the state for a period of time. A lot of our politicians have been a greater burden to our state then a group of people who have spent their entire life on the dole. To stop this, pay scales should be reduced and a limit of two terms or a maximum of ten years as a TD. This would not only root out all the wasters in our political system to go get a real job, it would also open up our national parliament to a much wider audience, which in turn would create a stronger, more accessible and accountable democratic system in our country.

hatrickpatrick

antoobrien wrote: »

Yes it is, the repossession loophole has been closed.

Seanie's been sent forward for trial, that's one thing I guess.
When will any of those found guilty by the Moriarty tribunal do time in prison I wonder?

hatrickpatrick

ORaghallaigh wrote: »

I don't believe that people should see a career in politics as a viable career option. It should be seen as you taking a break from your main career to take up service of the state for a period of time. A lot of our politicians have been a greater burden to our state then a group of people who have spent their entire life on the dole. To stop this, pay scales should be reduced and a limit of two terms or a maximum of ten years as a TD. This would not only root out all the wasters in our political system to go get a real job, it would also open up our national parliament to a much wider audience, which in turn would create a stronger, more accessible and accountable democratic system in our country.

The problem is if you introduce term limits, you'd have a problem like the current problem in the US in which during a president's second term, he or she feels they have greater flexibility in terms of actually following the people's will, seeing as they won't be fighting for re-election anyway.

Once a politician is definitely not getting re-elected, the people lose the only leverage they have over them. The people should be getting more leverage to force politicians to actually represent us, not less.

antoobrien

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

Seanie's been sent forward for trial, that's one thing I guess.
When will any of those found guilty by the Moriarty tribunal do time in prison I wonder?

Who has been found guilty of anything by Moriarty (or any of the tribunals for that matter)? There was no prosecution involved.....