Seanad debates
Wednesday, 9 October 2002
Sub-Committee of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges: Motion.
I wish to highlight a point missed by the previous speaker but which I hope others will bear in mind. It is true that it took a constitutional amendment to facilitate what I and Senator Leyden have proposed. The constitutional amendment of 1979 gave the Government power to extend the voting franchise on the Universities Panel to other colleges or universities. The position is, therefore, that what we are proposing can now be done. By couching matters in those terms, it appears we are saying that there were no constitutional amendments in respect of the other suggestions I have put forward. There is a good reason for that, namely, that constitutional amendments are not required in this regard. All that is required to extend the vote is a change in the law. Voting on to the other panels is not restricted by the Constitution in the same way it was on our panel. That is why a constitutional amendment has never been required.
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