Geraldine Feeney (Fianna Fail)

On Senator Ó Murchú's finishing note, I too would like to congratulate the Minister of State on her re-appointment. It is great to see her back continuing the good work.

I feel a little inadequate as a new Senator. I do not like to say "young", since I am not that. I have been here only two years, but I am speaking about Seanad reform. I am still finding my way. There are still days when I come in and ask questions regarding what is going on and how the system works. However, I left it until quite late in the debate to contribute. I am giving myself a little tap on the back since I listened to the more experienced Seanadóirí. They have all voiced the same type of issues that I picked out of the report. I must be good — at least as good as them and I always have the height of respect and admiration for them.

When it came to looking at the report, I took it away with me on holiday. I had one or two days in the sun and flicked through it, making little comments and annotating it. When I summed it all up, I thought to myself that it was a very good system. However, it occurred to me that I would say that, having been elected through it. If I may be very personal and honest, I would be afraid of how I might fare if the system were changed. I want to be back here after the next election.

However, when I considered the system, it seemed to me that there was not a great deal wrong with it. It has served us well since 1937. It is a complicated system and I say that as someone who has come through the election process to get into Seanad Éireann. However, as a member of the public before my election, I never really understood the system, all the bodies, or the difference between the inside and outside panels. It was not really until I decided to run for Seanad Éireann that I got my head around it. It seemed too complicated to waste time getting one's head around.

I should have said at the outset that I thank and compliment the authors of the report, who are all our colleagues in this House. They put in a great deal of time. I believe that this time last year they gave over almost an entire month to it. I sat in on some of the deliberations, since my nominating body was very anxious to make its own submission, which it did. It is a complex system. The report, if implemented regarding getting people elected or appointed to Seanad Éireann, will make it more complex.

I am saddened that it would somewhat reduce the role of the councillor and create further centralisation of political power and influence. As Senator Ó Murchú pointed out, we should never underestimate the closeness of our county, city, town and urban councillors to our shared electorate. We should not deny them, with the dual mandate gone, the right to determine part of the membership of one House of the Oireachtas. I would hate to see the role of the county councillor diminished in that way.

I am glad that others have raised the list system, since I was in two minds. As a young Senator, one wonders whether one is saying the right thing or will bring the wrath of the political powers down on top of one if one says that one disagrees with such a system. However, I do not agree with it, just as I do not agree with its use in those countries which have it. It would bring more cynicism into the political parties in both Houses. One would have 20 people going forward on a list, with the party deciding who were the best people. That is undemocratic and unfair. I would hate to see a list system come into play.

I suppose that I am a little critical of the university system. Out of a small Chamber of 60 Members, it is a little selfish that six of them are from such panels, although I respect and admire the six colleagues here. It is a shame when third level education is so widespread and everyone has access to it. It is not only NUI but institutes of technology and whatever other third level institutions may come under that umbrella. I would keep the six seats, but we should widen the electoral base. On the question of outside and inside panels and whether seats should be reserved, it is grossly unfair and I have always thought so. I listened to the Acting Chairman's contribution earlier this morning, and I say this not because he said it, but the system should be first past the post. We all get into our cars and roam the country from morning to night. By the time one is in the fifth week, one is almost deranged. One lives on a bottle of water, an odd bar of chocolate and an apple. If people say "Hello" and smile, one almost questions why they are smiling. Are they supporting someone else? It is a horrible system. For those who take it on, it should be a case of "first past the post" rather than the current system. I hope that area will be looked at and perhaps changed.

Where can we improve? The system works very well. I would not like to see a radical overhaul but there are areas where it could be improved. When I was campaigning I talked about EU legislation. Whether we like it or admit it, many people continue to view EU legislation as foreign policy. This House has bright minds and intellects. If more complex EU issues were discussed in this House, and more television coverage were brought to people's homes at a reasonable hour, Seanad Éireann would become more productive and more noticeable, and be perceived to be working better, but we would also be educating people who feel lost.