Maura Hopkins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is important that we respect each other within this Chamber and work together on issues.

There is a focus at times on local issues. In the context of this debate, we have frequently mentioned the importance of our local representatives who are working on local issues and meeting local people every day. It is critical that we connect with those local representatives because it is only by knowing local issues that we will be able to effect change at national level. We must keep the link between the Seanad and local representatives. They need a voice at national level. Currently, we are that voice and we must continue to be that voice. I strongly believe that we need to keep the chain between the Seanad and our councils. As Senator Lombard mentioned, many issues raised in the council chamber must be addressed at national level, and I fully support our strong relationship with local representatives who do a very good job within their respective areas.

I have been a Member for only a number of weeks but the two major challenges I would see, as mentioned frequently today, is the functioning of the Seanad and how we get our message across in terms of what we are trying to work on and how the people can further engage with us. Much of the discussion has been on widening the electorate. I am not fully convinced that widening the electorate will have a major impact on how we function as a Seanad, how the general public engages with the Seanad and how we engage with the general public. That needs to be further considered on Committee Stage in terms of widening the electorate. The core principle of Seanad reform needs to be with regard to functioning, which has been raised by a number of Senators in the course of this debate.

I was privileged in the sense that I was a Trinity graduate, but nobody is better than anybody else. Everybody is equal to everybody else. That is how it should be, and it is important that all graduates of third level institutions would have an ability to vote. The overall sense is that there is significant need for modernisation. We are now in the 21st century and we need to move away from elitism. We talk about equal opportunity. That needs to be reflected in this Seanad.

It is useful that the Minister of State, Deputy English, addressed the House today and focused on actions because at this stage that is what we need to see in terms of earmarking potential difficulties that may arise with regard to cost and the operational working of widening an electorate.As Senators, we must be aware of that in the context of the Bill's proceeding to Committee Stage. Certainly, we must be focused on actions at this stage. The key is that we must modernise ourselves and make ourselves more relevant as a Seanad.