Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

Bhí mé ag éisteacht leis an díospóireacht, agus leis an méid a bhí le rá ag an tSeanadóir Ó Murchú, ach go háirithe. Aontaím leis. Speaking about the electoral aspect of the issue is easier than speaking about real reform and what the agenda of the House should be. Undoubtedly the Seanad is a very good forum for the scrutiny of legislation. During my first term, which was in the previous Seanad, the debates were far less partisan than they tend to be in the Dáil. As a consequence, legislation gets better and perhaps more objective scrutiny than is the case in the other House.

For some time I have felt that the composition of the House needed reform. Like any institution in place for many years, the Seanad needs periodic review. As noted by Senator White, self-appraisal may not be the best route to reform. While I accept the process should start in-house, others who hold views which would enhance the deliberations of the sub-committee of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges should be recruited.

I assume the recent Seanad election campaign is still fresh in people's minds. It would be useful to examine aspects of that campaign. For example, the vocational panels, which no doubt served a very useful purpose in 1937, are nowhere near as relevant today as they were when the House was first established. Travelling 26 counties in the pursuit of votes may not be the most productive focus for candidates. If one abolished the panels, one could usefully examine regionalisation and I suggest the committee should consider that possibility.

I do not favour completely disenfranchising councillors. Senator Brian Hayes's proposal to extend the vote in Seanad elections to town councillors as well as city and county councillors could be considered on a regional basis. I propose that some 24 Senators be elected in this fashion.

I also suggest that the nominating bodies be refined, given that some of them do not exercise their right to make nominations. These bodies, rather than the Oireachtas sub-panels, should be the conduit through which people put themselves before groups of councillors. The role of the Oireachtas sub-panels in that regard should, therefore, be abolished and assumed by nominating bodies. This could correct the current position in that the various external bodies, all of which have a major contribution to make to society through their various roles, would still have a say in the composition of the membership of the House.