Caít Keane (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the debate on Seanad reform - in fact, we should have a debate on it every week because some members of the public do not know what the Seanad does. I would like to abolish the Order of Business, which is really "It Says In The Papers" rather than the work of the Seanad, which should be reformed. We will have a referendum and it will be up to the people whether we have a Seanad but it is up to us to inform the people so that they make an informed decision.

I commend Senator Crown on the work he has put into the Bill. The Minister said there were eight reports on the Seanad but I thought there were 12 reports, all of which are worthy documents in their own right. Senators Zappone and Quinn published a comprehensive document last summer which proposed a range of measures to transform the Seanad without the need for a constitutional change.

We will have a referendum, but I would like to see a "preferendum" with the options of "Yes", "No" or "Change". A recent and extensive Oireachtas report on the subject published by the Committee on Procedure and Privileges in 2003 remains a practical framework from which significant reform could be implemented. As is noted in this consultation paper, all 11 reports advocated reform and concluded the same thing. The fundamental problem with the Seanad in its present guise is the electoral system. We all recognise that and we want it broadened out. Senator Crown's Bill does that - I will go through the system outlined in it later - but I do not think it is the way to do it. It is over-politicised at the moment and we all agree it should be changed, but how we do so is the issue.

In regard to the panels or constituencies, the system outlined in the Bill is a bit cumbersome. It would be easy enough for anyone to get 1,000 signatures if he or she stood outside a church after Mass. The terminology used in the descriptions of the panels is very broad. In addition, if signatures were not verified before the vote, one could end up with the disqualification of Senators and half the Seanad disqualified. There is nothing in this Bill to provide for returning officers to verify one in four signatures.

If there are 40,000 signatures on each panel and there are five panels that will be equal to 200,000 signatures and 14 days must elapse from the last signature until the date closes. That places a huge onus on the returning officer.

The panels are too broad and there is a strange type of language used. The term "literature" was used. Does that refer to anybody who can read a book? Does it refer to teaching? Nearly all of the adult population has done some type of work during their lives and could claim to have "laboured". The panels, as described, are so broad one wonders why have them at all. Why not leave it open like the EU elections? Why not have X number of constituencies rather than panels? A panel system can be good but it lacks definition in the legislation.

There could be verification problems with certificates of attestation and achievement. How will it be done? Who will verify certificates of achievement? We all know how easy it is to duplicate and photocopy certificates. All achievements must be certified, authenticated and verified but the means of doing so has not been verified in the Bill. There is a great onus on the returning officer to do this work. He or she could do it but the scheme is unworkable.

Section 28 states that polls for the Seanad must be held on the same day as the Dáil in order to save money. I would prefer if it was held on the same day as EU elections. No reference has been made to posters. Will a Dáil and Seanad election be conducted on the same day with the poles plastered with posters? The legislation does not refer to the regulation of posters or whatever. It should be stated but it is not.

Senator Crown has made a provision that if candidates cannot provide the presiding officer with a certificate of achievement from a relevant university or institute of technology then he or she may choose to stand for election to a Seanad constituency. That is fine but there is a question about authentication measures.