Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----but I do agree that whoever it is should be independent of Government, genuinely committed to Seanad reform and capable of bringing it through, so I agree with Deputy Martin's sentiments.

It is true that I have reservations about the Manning report - I have not made a secret of that - regarding the cost and also the practicability of implementing it. If implemented, it would require everyone to re-register to vote not for the Dáil, but for the Seanad. It would also require people to register to vote on a particular panel, and they will have a choice of one of five panels plus universities. I believe that could cause a degree of confusion. As the Constitution requires it, the election, when held, will have to be a postal vote. It is a requirement in the Constitution that elections to the Seanad can only be held by postal vote. That is the reason we go through this very strange ritual where we fill in the ballot papers in here and then go to the post office to post them back to here. That would have to be done not just on that scale but potentially on an international scale, so the election potentially could cost €50 million, €60 million, €70 million or €80 million. Who knows? Frankly, I have reservations about some of these matters, but it is in the programme for Government. I am bound by the programme for Government and therefore we will press ahead with it in full.

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