Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)

Following on from the comments of others I call for a debate on the constitutional convention that the Government plans to establish. I have concerns as to the superficiality of the issues to be discussed, including the reduction of the age for voting and the reduction of the term of the President. It is not that these are not important issues but if we are to go to the trouble, cost, expense and effort of establishing such a convention, several serious issues should be considered. It would be ridiculous in the extreme if Government policy were to be seen to undermine democracy by removing the Seanad without putting the matter to such a valuable forum as the constitutional convention. Other issues arise and could be considered as well including the size of the Oireachtas in future and whether it should include the Dáil and the Seanad or only the Dáil.

It does not apply solely to this Administration but it is a good example of where we see the Parliament and the Oireachtas as mere servants of the Government rather than how it ought to be, that is to say, that Governments should be servants of the Parliament, which represents the people. I call on the Leader to do all he can to ensure that the Seanad, its future and many other issues are included for consideration in the convention. I have given praise to the Leader of the House for how he has tried to change the way we do business and I support him in this regard. However, his political masters within Cabinet are not being fair to him by railroading Government policy on such matters as the proposed abolition of the Seanad. They seem to be able to ensure that the process being followed assists the policy of Seanad abolition rather than a fair process which would consider all people's points of view. Since we are going to the expense of establishing a convention it defies logic not to include these views in the remit for consideration and discussion.