Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

If a Member of this House is elected to the other House or resigns, it is most unfair if the party of which he or she is a member is not able fill the seat vacated by that person.

A question arises on the fundamental issue of constitutional change, the third item on the list, which is whether the job description of the Seanad in the Constitution is right. I believe that, by and large, it is right. It provides that, first, we can amend or delay legislation; second, we are not responsible for money Bills, which is right as we do not have a mandate from the people; third, that the Seanad is not a mirror of the Dáil, even though in recent years we have become such, but that is not particularly healthy; and fourth, that we can initiate Bills, an area on which we need to spend more time. Many good suggestions for Private Members' Bills by Members of this House could be taken up by Government if we had a more structured time for that business.