Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I also support Deputy Catherine Murphy's amendment. It reinforces my view that if we abolish the Seanad, in line with the wishes of the Government, the nomination process used in advance of presidential elections will be more confined than it is at present. Has any clear thought been given to a replacement process? At present, a candidate in a presidential election can be nominated by 20 Members of the Houses or by four county councils. It could be argued - it is a statistical and mathematical fact - that the removal of 60 Members of the Oireachtas will diminish the ability of the Oireachtas to nominate presidential candidates. That would have an undermining effect. We all know what happens in this Chamber when the Whip system is invoked. Deputies slavishly walk in here and vote according to the Whip. This restriction on the nominating process would confine the ability of the Presidency to be genuinely a Presidency of the people. If the Minister has thought about this aspect of the matter, perhaps he will elucidate his thoughts on what might replace the 60 nominations that will be lost if the people vote "Yes" in the referendum. Potentially, three presidential candidates could be nominated in this way. If large Opposition parties are unable to nominate candidates, we might end up with a Presidency that is agreed by the Government.

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