Limits of the Applicability of New Technologies The case of Turkish Parliament
Organization of the Presentation • Minutes services in the Turkish Parliament • Main difficulties faced. • Conclusion: Prospects for adapting new technologies to minutes services.
Stenography at theTurkish Parliament
Main Grounds of Work
• Plenary sessions • Committee sessions
Organization Chart of the Minutes Services MANAGER
ASSISTANT MANAGER (Committees)
ASSISTANT MANAGER (Plenary)
ASSISTANT MANAGER (Administrative Affairs)
EXPERT STENOGRAPHER (10)
STENOGRAPHER (2) Summarization of minutes
STENOGRAPHER (34)
HEAD CLERK (1)
ASSISTANT STENOGRAPHER (26)
CLERKS (11)
Record (stenography and sound record)
Decipherment and check
Server (Classification)
Plenary minutes (Classification)
Distribution
Internet
Correction on Softcopies
Committees and other Record services (Classification)
Check by expert stenographer Summary of the minutes
Content
Last check
Catalogue
Journal of Records
The Main Difficulties in Plenary Sessions
A normal talk is OK
However… • When the microphone is automatically closed yet the speaker continues to talk: ‘Microphone is closed by the automatic device’ is noted but we keep on writing • Many people talking at the same time • Interruptions
Rules of Procedure Article 155: ‘In the Plenary, the minutes are recroded verbatim or as summary Verbatim minutes are recorded with the help of the voice recorder by stenographers.’
High tension as part of the working routine
Minutes as evidence in court cases
A normal one‌
Tension reflected‌
Tension in steno
Committees
Article 33: ‘If the committee so decides, a full minute is recorded’
Conclusion • Difficulties constitute a fundamental limit to applicability of technologies. • Under existing conditions mentioned above, it seems hard to solemnly rely on technology, leaving aside the stenographer factor. • It is limited by abovementioned parliamentary traditions and practices, cultural traditions and the rules of procedure.