The Council of State to be established on a statutory basis with a requirement for regular meetings
The President's role as the prime representative of the citizens' interest requires more powers to actively challenge legislation that curbs the ability of the citizen to fully contribute to the decision-making process. Examples of legislation that has compromised citizens' rights and went unchallenged includes the amended Freedom of Information Act and the Public Order Act. Possible future legislation could see citizens' participation in the planning process being limited. An active Presidency, with the assistance of a statutorily based Council of State that is obliged to meet regularly, would be a protection against such threats, and would play a positive political role that our system sorely lacks.