How To Save Our Political System

This is my view written on the back of a piece of paper on what we need to do to save the political system in Ireland before we fall into an abyss.

1. Pay County Councilors €50,000 a year inclusive of expenses, pay city councillors €30,000 annually. Either can remain in office for no more than 2 terms. They become temporary employees of the Local Authorities with a full time contract for the duration and are provided with offices and support staff from within local authorities.

2. TDs can be elected twice only and their salaries are to be capped at €100,000 including expenses for which they must attend Dail 4 days a week not 3.

3. Exceptional TDs who have run their period may be brought onto the Cabinet by the Taoiseach or as members of a strategic group, this is limited to 1 senior minister and 2 junior ministers.

4. The Dail set up an all party strategic group that feeds support on policy and legislation to all ministers. All TDs must sit on a minimum of one policy group. This is what they should work at when in the Dail, not local politics. They may be permitted to work on local politics/issues but it must feed into national policy.This way we can ensure that we get the best out of our TDs without them worrying if they will get re-elected.It will also ensure people are mentored into more senior positions and that fresh blood and ideas keep the political system working.
5. County and City Local Authority Managers should be elected. Get rid of mayors altogether.

Something must be done and done quickly for if we continue on the road we are on it will lead only to anarchy as people, politicians included, continue to walk away from politics.

More to follow later....