Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

They could place it on the Order Paper where it would be left, but to have it debated in the Chamber every second Friday is a great opportunity for Deputies. In the past, if a back bench Deputy wanted to bring forward a Private Members' Bill, he or she could place it on the Order Paper where it remained for years and they never had an opportunity to debate it. The Opposition parties, be it Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil or whatever party was in opposition at the time, would bring forward their own Private Members' Bills in Private Members' time on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. That is the way it was done. They would decide the previous week whatever the burning issue of the week was and debate it in their Private Members' time the following week. It is incorrect to say that Friday sittings are not a success.

Regarding the changes in the committee system and reducing the number of committees, committees are far busier and are working better now than they were previously. Their workload has increased no end. Members are busy on committees now and they have issues to debate in committees.

The Seanad is a priority for this Government. We brought forward draft legislation which has gone to the committee and to the Seanad for consideration, and the Minister, Deputy Hogan, will bring it before the House very soon. It is part of the legislative process to implement the 1979 amendment to Article 18.4.2°. It is the general scheme of the Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2014. We are the first Government since 1979 to bring forward an amendment to Article 18.4.2°. No other Government has bothered to bring such legislation forward. We are doing that to extend voting rights in Seanad elections to graduates of third level institutions.

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