Michael D'Arcy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In listening to the debate I am reminded of the saying that if one were going somewhere they should not start from here. I am a somewhat of that view in terms of Seanad reform. If the opportunity arose we would not start from here. It is pity previous Governments did not take the opportunity to reform the House. I agree with some of what has been proposed by Senator Zappone and others supporting the motion. I agree that people should be elected by the public. That said, the university panels are good and they provide good people. I would not just throw the baby out with the bathwater.

I welcome the Taoiseach's statement on the night of the referendum defeat that he was prepared to move on the 1979 referendum straight away. That was a positive step in the right direction. We must make a decision on what we can do now. The Taoiseach clearly said the Government would not hold another referendum. Therefore, we can only operate on the basis of passing legislation to alter this House. The task force is a good idea. Anyone who has ideas, be they Senators, other Members of the Oireachtas or members of the public, should bring them forward. That should happen straight away.

I have an idea that could be introduced straight away to provide universal suffrage but it would mean the Taoiseach would have to give up something that is very important to him and future taoisigh, namely, the prerogative of choosing the Taoiseach’s 11 nominees. They should be chosen by election. Legislation could be passed in this House and in the other House to allow for 11 people to be elected by means of an electoral process. They should be elected in 11 single-seat constituencies throughout the country. Those who are elected would become the Taoiseach’s nominees. That would not be easy to do, as it is radical, but it would be legitimate reform and could be considered. In conjunction with the 1979 referendum we would move towards the immediate reform of one third of the House. We must be realistic. The vocational panels would require a Seanad referendum to be properly reformed. I do not have a solution to the provision of universal suffrage. I do not envisage a system whereby anyone could put themselves forward for the administrative panel, for example, or the agriculture panel. That will not happen. This is a time when voter turnout for referendums is 35%. People will not register for a vote on a particular panel.

We are also restricted somewhat due to legacy issues. The Seanad was constituted in 1937. It was a time of economic war. The Second World War had not yet started, and the Cold War had not yet started, but it has since come and gone. We should leave aside any of the views that are stuck in the past relating to when we were constituted in 1937. We should look to the future – 2037 – and how we can be relevant at that time.