Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Seanad of the 1937 Constitution retained a type of representational function and a checks and balances function. That is what we are here for. Its role as a check and balance was limited to the legislative process because the Government is responsible to the Dáil. The new Seanad would have 60 Members with a term following that of the Dáil. Its power over money Bills was the same as that of the old Seanad and its suspensory power over legislation was reduced from 18 months to 90 days. If this Bill is rejected here, 90 days must pass before the Dáil can overrule our decision. That is three months, which will go into next year - September, October, November and December.

The panel elections were provided for in legislation in 1937 and later under the Seanad Electoral (Panel Members) Act 1947. The 1937 Act provided for 355 electors: Deputies, Senators and seven city and council electors who were elected from the councils. The Cathaoirleach benefited greatly from that and was a most popular choice of councillors from all over Ireland, north, south, east and west. He will be back here again if there is a new Seanad.