Ivana Bacik (Independent)

I am pleased my name is appended to the amendment to the motion. I fully support calls for reform. The amendment goes further than the motion by calling for the publication of a timescale in respect of the implementation of the recommendations of the 2004 report. The Minister provided a concise summary of those recommendations. They received all-party support and members of Fine Gael, the Labour Party and Independent Members signed up to the amendment calling for a timescale to be published. We have consensus and we could proceed to implement the report on a comprehensive basis.

My concern following the Minister's speech is that he suggested he will move forward only on one element of reform if all-party agreement is not forthcoming. This would be a shame. The entire spirit and tenor of the report is that wholesale reform of the Seanad is required. If one examines the report, one sees it states a radical alternative to the vocational panel system is required as well as a radical alternative to the university panels which clearly require reform and I accept this.

I am sorry Senator Buttimer was not able to vote as a graduate of Maynooth. Persons who graduate from both NUI and Trinity have two votes and if such a person is a councillor or a Deputy he or she would have three votes. This is not democratic and, admirably, the report recommends that people choose which aspect of the Seanad election to vote in, for the higher education panel or for the 20 members to be elected by Deputies, councillors or Senators or for the national constituency. This gives choice and ensures no one has more than one vote.

I am not convinced about increasing the number of Taoiseach's nominees. This would have the effect of neutering the Seanad. The report points out the perception of the Seanad as being weak, ineffective and of questionable value is compounded by the fact that it is dominated by the Government. I do not see why the Taoiseach's right to nominate should be present, bringing with it an in-built Government majority. I appreciate the report correctly recommends that if the Taoiseach's nomination power is to be retained it should be placed within certain legislative parameters as to the criteria to be used in selecting the people to be nominated and include representatives from Northern Ireland and under-represented groups in Irish society.

On balance, I favour the recommendations in the report. However, I hope they will be implemented together and that not only the changes which can be made through legislation, namely, changes to the university panels, will be made but also the changes requiring constitutional change. Given that this report of 2004 is the 12th report we have had and it represents cross-party consensus we could see a timeframe put in place which would see us having a constitutional referendum, perhaps at the same time next year as the referendum on children's rights.