Marie Moloney (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Taoiseach. I will be brief, particularly as everything I wished to say has already been said by other Senators. The Taoiseach asked us not to bask in the glory of the referendum result. How can we bask in that glory when 60% of the electorate are completely disengaged from the process? That has been the position in respect not just of the recent referendum but also of those that preceded it. I am of the view that a quorum should be necessary for referendums because the small numbers who vote in them can change the Constitution. Perhaps the Constitutional Convention might consider the establishment of quorums for referendums.

There is only one other matter to which I wish to refer, namely, the Taoiseach's nominees. We are lucky in that those nominated to serve in this Seanad are very good people. These individuals have voted independently, which is great. In the past, however, the nominees always ensured that the Government of the day would have a majority in the House and would dictate what happened here. In my opinion, there should not be any nominees. All Members should be obliged to gain election to the Seanad. Each constituency should elect one Senator to the House and a further 20 should come from the various panels. It is purely coincidental - we were all elected - but in the constituency in which I live, there are more Senators than Deputies.