Alex White (Labour)

Are we going to have a debate or this nonsense of interruption, and intemperate interruption at that? Let us just listen to each other. I will be listening to Senator Norris because I have great respect for him.

On the question of universities, we need to know the proportion of all living graduates of Trinity College and the National University of Ireland who vote in elections or who are even registered to do so. If we want to throw brickbats at each other when deciding which panel is most representative, we must analyse the electorate pertaining to each in addition to the entire process. The main reason behind the amendment to the Constitution in 1979 was apprehension that the National University of Ireland would be broken up, and another reason was to facilitate legislation to ensure third level colleges other than universities could elect Seanad representatives.

In the debate on the representation of third level institutions, with which some have difficulty, we should at least ask whether such representation can be justified at all.