David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The discussion is about section 1 and it is about the Short Title. The Bill also seeks to amend a number of existing Bills, so there should be some latitude given because of that.

I am very slow to get in the middle of a disagreement between Independent Senators in this House, but I will say that the two Senators who approached me and my party most frequently on this issue were Senators Zappone and Quinn. In fact, they had met us and requested to meet with myself as the group leader of Sinn Féin and with the Sinn Féin Party long before the referendum and they have been active on the issue of Seanad reform.

I disagree with many aspects of the Bill. I am not in agreement that we should keep the sectoral panels or the university panels. We should look at geographical panels. We should have the principle of universal franchise on the basis of one person, one vote. I do not agree with the system where county councillors and members of certain universities have votes. It should be open to Northern representation and voting rights should be extended to the diaspora, which is included in the Bill. I am also opposed to the 11 Taoiseach's nominations.

We will have more discussion as the Bill progresses. It is not beyond the ability of the two Houses of the Oireachtas, and indeed of influences and organisations outside those Chambers, to come up with Seanad reform that actually wins the support of the people. Months ago I attended a meeting organised by the Taoiseach, which the Leader of this House was also at, at which we discussed where the Government was going to go with Seanad reform following the referendum. There has been no meeting convened since then. There has been no update to any of the group leaders or party leaders on what the Government----