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Constitution needs updating around aftermath of elections

Long_Wave · 2020-03-05 02:33:29

It seems to me that there is nothing to stop a previous government going a whole 5 year term in these hung dail situations. We currently have an number of ministers who have lost their seats, even though the constitution says a minister must be a TD (or 2 can come from the seanad). Surely at a minimum portfolios of…

Comments

#92 29-04-2020 10:36AM

ELM327

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efanton wrote: »

If you think It is just about Leo as far as I am concerned then you are totally wrong. I would be making the same comment no matter who was Taoiseach and which parties appeared to be dragging their heels to form a government.

I do object when it takes 7 weeks for parties to finally decide they might form a coalition, and probably another 7 weeks to find out whether they actually can. No matter which parties they may be.

The simple fact is there is no provision in the constitution for a hung Dail and that should be addressed. It is likely that in future elections this issue will reoccur now that it seems we no longer have just two parties that can lead a government.

If this FF/FG coalition fails, which is becoming more likely, and SF and the left of centre parties were to win enough seats to form a government in a subsequent election I'm sure you would agree that in 5 years time it would make sense to have a clear process in place for a hung Dail and a mechanism where the President could step in after a predetermined period and say hurry it up lads with your government formation or I'm going to call a new one. Whats good for the goose would also be good for the gander.

I'm an FG voter and I would support this.
Leo et al are doing a great job in the circumstances but we need to make provision for what seems a more and more likely occurrence. The days of FF outright majority are long dead with Dev and Charlie.

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