Feargal Quinn (Independent)

Given that it was 25 years ago, it is long overdue. I had not thought it through that some of us have two votes. If one is a county councillor and a university graduate, one has two votes. Perhaps that is not democratic. The solution that has come out of this is well thought out and innovative. Irrespective of what one's views may be on having university representatives, it makes no sense to have only some of our graduates represented to the exclusion of others.

On the issue of the higher education franchise, I wonder how it will work in practice. As I understand it, there will be a general electoral register for the Seanad, which will include everybody entitled to vote in the Dáil elections, and a higher education register in which graduates can choose to be included instead of on the general register. That is well thought out and an issue I had not considered. What is the position of graduates of the universities who are Irish citizens but not resident here and, therefore, are not eligible to vote in Dáil elections? At present they are entitled to vote in Seanad elections. I am not clear whether it is intended that this will continue afterwards.