Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leader for setting aside the amount of time he has set aside today to discuss this. In thanking him, I cannot but express some disappointment over the number of people who have turned up in the Chamber today to add their voices to the debate. Many people in this House will be running around the country over the next few months trying to secure their seat for the next term, but they have not got even the decency to be here to try to focus on the future of this institution.

I congratulate the two former Senators. It has been said time and again that the narrow focus or narrow terms of reference they had limited their scope. Despite their limited scope, they delivered an excellent document that will stand for years to come. Sadly, however, I believe it will just be left on a shelf somewhere. The independence of the Seanad is of fundamental importance. There have been arguments that one cannot run a government or an institution unless there is dominance on the government side or on the other, as the case may be. I do not believe that. Politics is the art of the possible and government need not dominate this House. Experts in the various fields under the vocational panels should be dominant when proposals, such as legislation, come before the House thus ensuring that they could be addressed in a much better way. Would it be the end of the world if a Bill was sent back because it was poorly written or badly conceived in some way? It would focus those who draft legislation on ensuring it is written with more care before they send it to the Dáil or this House to be initiated.

One of the issues that concerns me is the esteem in which this House is held. Some of my colleagues, particularly Senator Crown, have spoken about the issue of constituencies for Senators. My constituency is Ireland. My interests are the macro-issues that are Ireland's issues. I do not care if they are going to build a new school in Ballydehob or someone cannot get planning permission in a particular place. That is not my role. We have people in local government and the Dáil to deal with those issues. My job, as I understand it, is twofold. The first is to scrutinise legislation that comes before this House and to offer comment on it. I know I will be accused of having an eye to the election on the way, but the second is to represent my electorate. That is what I am here to do.

Another issue which concerns me are the nominating bodies. I would like to have seen a simplification of the registration process for nominating bodies. I would require the nominating bodies to put forward, when making their application, a set of qualifications which were verifiable and which would set the bar for those wishing to seek a nomination from them. The report states that each person seeking a nomination should be able to make their candidacy or qualifications stand up but that should be tested at the nominating bodies level before it comes to this House.

I welcome the proposal regarding the change to the panels. By increasing in particular the educational panel, the working group has reflected the change in Irish society and the importance of education to Ireland. I welcome that.

When the reform group was put together I commented on the fact that no sitting Member of this House, in particular the Leader, was included in the group. Those in the group have done a great job so I am not in any way castigating its members but the Leader should have been a member of the group. Meetings are being held with the Taoiseach and the leaders in the Lower House now. What is that about? Is it about how they are going to carve things up in the future?

I thank the former Senator, Dr. Maurice Manning, for reminding me that I am not the first Independent to be elected in this House to a vocational panel. However, I am the first to be elected in a by-election, something I have said time and again since I have come in here. I am sure all will agree it is next to impossible for a person independent of party politics to run for a Seanad election.