Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is positive because an interim implementation group overseen by the Department of the Taoiseach was originally proposed in the report.

I think the Deputy's proposal is a better idea. If the group comprised members of the parties in the Dáil and the Seanad, with access to independent IT experts or independent legal experts, and representatives from the various Departments, the process could move faster. That is probably a better idea.

To deal with elements of the Constitution in so far as the Seanad is concerned, we probably will not see a scale of reform that would be envisaged here. As the Deputy is aware, the report recommended an interim establishment body. It recommended a majority of seats to be elected by popular vote in a one-person, one-vote system, that the principle would be extended to include Irish citizens in Northern Ireland and those living overseas who hold a valid Irish passport, a provision for online registration of voters and the downloading of ballot papers. People approached me in America recently about the developments that have taken place in authentication and validation of this particular system. The report also recommended a far greater role for the Seanad in scrutiny, amendment and initiation of legislation, reviews of the panel system and that the commencement date for the new arrangements should be made immediately after the Seanad election. I am happy to sign up to this. If we can have agreement among the parties here, we should set up an implementation group comprising Members of the Dáil and Seanad, together with whatever other expertise will be needed, and move the process on. I am prepared to sign up to that.

See this speech in context