Donie Cassidy (Fianna Fail)

------of the Legislature, the Constitution and the taxpayer, for which we make no apologies to anybody.

It was said in this House that Fianna Fáil was holding up the review of the reform of the Seanad. That is not true. I am holding the Fianna Fáil submission made, with those of other colleagues, parties and groups, and it is now with the Minister who has given due consideration to it. It is definitely not the fault of the major Government party, Fianna Fáil, which accounts for almost 50% of the membership of the Seanad.

In regard to how we are elected or selected from panels, let us wait and see what the findings of the Government's deliberations are. We have made a contribution. I take in good faith what Independent colleagues have said about their electorates with a turnout of 30% or 34%. We cannot justify this because under the panel system there was a turnout of 98.5% in the last seven general elections to the Seanad. That is the highest-----