Seanad debates

Wednesday, 12 November 2014

Seanad Bill 2013: Committee Stage

 

5:50 pm

Photo of Marie MoloneyMarie Moloney (Labour) | Oireachtas source

Senator Cummins has already said much of what I intended to say. I agree that unless we initiate electoral reform, the public will not be happy. We have had a lot of operational reform of the House already. Indeed, on the first day of this Seanad, the appointee Members were given the option to stay independent if they wished, rather than accepting the party whip, which was a big move. Many of the appointees have not taken the whip, have been performing very well and have vote for or against the Government as they saw fit.

I would like to see the franchise for the university panel extended to all graduates. My own daughter is a graduate of Cork Institute of Technology and very proud of it. However, she is very aggrieved that her brother, who graduated from University College Cork, can vote in Senate elections while she cannot. She is not at all pleased about that and cannot understand why her qualifications are not deemed adequate. She is now working in a professional line and doing very well, which proves that there is nothing wrong with institute of technology qualifications. Graduates of the institutes of technology are just as able and willing to vote as university graduates.

In fairness, the Leader has reformed many of the operational procedures of this House and continues to do so. Indeed, he will be introducing more new procedures in the near future. He has always done his best to avoid the use of the guillotine during legislative debates and he must be commended for that. I hope he will continue in that vein for the remainder of the lifetime of this Seanad.

I must disagree with something Senator White said earlier. I do not know what gave her the idea that it is very easy for a member of the Labour Party to be nominated to run for the Seanad.

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