Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the former Senators. I was a little surprised to be allowed speak on this report today because it is not that long ago since we were here, perhaps two months. In terms of my input on this issue, I have made a written submission and I spoke on the last occasion. Usually one is not allowed to speak twice on the same subject. I am here, however, because this is important and we are being given the time to speak again.

I hope Dr. Manning and Mr. O'Toole will respond before the conclusion of the session. Can they enlighten us as to whether there will be reform of the Seanad prior to the next election? Former Senator Manning is shaking his head in the negative. If that is the answer, it is very disappointing. It is a year and nine months, which is a considerable amount of time, since the people spoke. Some people in this House have been relentless in keeping this issue on the agenda. I wish to pay tribute to Senator Feargal Quinn in particular. More of us have supported him. What is the point in vague promises? Let us cut to the chase. As soon as the Government lost the Seanad referendum I believe I am correct in saying that An Taoiseach, Deputy Kenny, said that he would bring forward a Bill on the extension of the university mandate, to include other third level colleges in Ireland. Where is the Bill? This is vital. There has been almost like a second class citizenry among the graduates of Ireland when colleges like University of Limerick and DCU, with very fine graduates, and graduates of teacher education colleges have not had a vote. In 1979 the people said they should have a vote. I would hope that at a minium this would be rectified before the next election because there has been a firm promise in place that this would happen.

Dr. Manning may be able to clarify for me how the new university groupings are to work together. For example, NUIG will work with St. Angela's College while DCU, Marino Institute of Education and St. Pat's form a grouping. I do not have all the exact groupings. Given that some of the colleges within those groupings have votes on the NUI panel, for example, does this give reason to the graduates from the other colleges within those groupings to have a vote? Another speaker said there was a difference between universities. We all know there is a difference between universities but once a university or a college is granted the authority to confer its own degrees we have to accept its graduates. I am keen to hear Dr. Manning's answer on whether those new groupings influence the extension of the vote to the graduates now within those groupings.

I am very disappointed to hear that there will not be reform before the next election. However, we need evidence of action at a very minimum on the extension of the university panel. Senator Norris said that if every graduate in this country had a vote there would be 850,000 graduates with the right to vote on the panel of either NUI or Trinity. I presume there would be a larger number of NUI graduates than Trinity graduates. If there are only six seats this would be an incredibly contested election. For the 30 seats proposed to be directly elected with universal suffrage - which I completely support - will those graduates also have a vote for the direct elections?