Alan Kelly (Labour)

I compliment Senator O'Toole and his colleagues on tabling this motion, which I will support. As my colleague, Senator Hannigan, said, let us just get on with it. This House needs to be reformed. We have been talking about it for long enough and it is something the Green Party proposed a long time ago. I look forward to that happening and will wholeheartedly support it.

There was a constitutional amendment in 1979 and the fact that it has not been acted on is crazy. I am a triple NUI graduate and the fact that I have a vote but most of the people living around me in the mid-west do not, because they went to the University of Limerick, is insane. They should have a vote. If we are to maintain the university panel system, graduates of all colleges should have a vote. However, I am not in favour of that system but favour that outlined by my colleague, Senator Hannigan, where people over 16 years of age should have a vote once they register. However, if we are to maintain the system where graduates have a vote, it must be extended to all graduates. It is crazy that scenario does not exist.

The Labour Party has a track record in this regard because in 1999 or 2000, the former Labour Party leader, Dick Spring, proposed a Bill stating same. I remember it because I was chair of Labour Youth at the time and had to digest this Bill on behalf of the party. The Bill would have extended the right to vote to graduates of other colleges. That should be mandatory if we are to maintain the current system. I would welcome a decision to hold a session of this House in another location such as Limerick because it would show the workings of the House to the people.

I welcome the report and wish to make a number of points in regard to it. European legislation accounts for over 80% of legislation here. The relevance of this House would be greatly served if it scrutinised much of this legislation. I am a member of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on European Scrutiny, but one only gets to look at a fraction of the legislation coming through. Scrutinising that legislation would give this House a role which would be welcome. We would not end up with scenarios where we are not fully aware of the consequences of legislation or directives, whether good or bad, although I believe the majority is good. The issue is the transposing of legislation and directives into Irish law.

We need to be more flexible. Last year around St. Patrick's Day, there were ructions in the House when I tried to get a motion passed on the undocumented Irish in America. We nearly had to move heaven and earth to get it through. There was uproar. That is crazy. The House should be more relevant.

This House should be more open to accepting Bills, especially ones which are fair and are from the Opposition. I will propose some Bills in the near future and I hope the Government will look favourably on them. I see no reason for it to oppose them other than that I want to get them through. If a Bill is good, the Government should accept it because it is crazy not to do so.

When we debate certain legislation, it is important the relevant Minister is in the House.