Ann Ormonde (Fianna Fail)

I have always said that I like fair play. That is the democracy end of it, we are elected and we are doing a good job.

As regards the university procedure, I agree totally with all the Senators who said the franchise should be extended to all graduates. It is most unfair to graduates from the University of Limerick and Dublin Institute of Technology who possess worthwhile degrees as well as those from Waterford Institute of Technology and all the other institutes of technology that are not given a chance. They should be well recognised and I believe that is the way we should go.

As regards the Seanad's role as it stands, there are fine debates in this House. We initiate legislation in the Seanad and nitpick every part of it on Committee Stage, and yet none of us gets any credit from the media, and I believe this is a shame. I have asked many times about how this might be corrected. Why are we disregarded, downgraded and in effect the poor relation? I do not like being a poor relation and I never was, in my household, growing up. I do not want to be a poor relation in this House, either. However, I find that the response from the public to the Seanad is along the lines, "Ah, you lot", and these are the lies that are being used. I do not like this and I should like us to acknowledge that.

As regards the role of the Seanad, we have power and can invite MEPs to address this House. We can monitor and scrutinise legislation that has been drafted in Europe and can send it back if it does not satisfy the requirements of our citizens. We can link with the public through county councillors as elected representatives and God knows they keep us on our feet. Let there be no doubt about this, if they want something done and a Senator does not follow what they like, he or she will not be part of their team the next time out. There is definitely democracy in that sense. However, as regards the role of the Seanad, we could change in relation to how we do our Order of Business. I am not at all happy with that.

We are only touching on those points this evening. The Minister talked about all-party group members and said they were now having consultation papers and would report back to him. I should like the Minister to come back to the Seanad first. We should have a long day's session on this topic. There are many points I should like to develop further. This is just a brainstorming exercise. There are many points to be discussed, for example how that list system would work. I am against it, but I should love to see further discussion on it. My jury is out as regards these matters. In relation to whether we should have the regional way of elections——-