Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Hold on. Senator Buttimer will have his opportunity.

The Minister of State told me that there was a proposal to establish among the Government parties a group that would come forward with proposals which I would be shown last October. That group has not been established let alone come forward with any proposals. I have come to the conclusion that this is an elaborate smoke screen for nothing to happen. Senator Malcolm Byrne suggested that we should implement the universities amendment. That is part of the Bill that is before this House but let us remember that would give, depending on what third level institutions it is given to, the right to roughly 1 million people to vote for six people in this House, whereas 43 seats would be elected by roughly 1,200 people. That difficulty will not go away and it will not be wished away.

Ministers can keep giving us assurances and they can keep coming into this House and sending in their junior Minister to give us timetables for reform but some time the truth must be spoken in this House.