John Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House, and the Civil Engagement Group for bringing forward this Bill in its Private Members' time. Fine Gael will also be opposing the Bill for many of the reasons that have been outlined by my colleague, Senator Chambers. I think there is a conflict of interest with the returning officer of Seanad Éireann overseeing Seanad elections and being part of the Electoral Commission. It is important, at the outset, to say that it is very important that we have an Electoral Commission now established firmly on statutory footing. It is doing a very important piece of work at the moment in taking submissions on the Dáil constituency boundaries. It is very open and public, and the submissions that are coming in from the public are being put up in a speedy fashion. I think the commission has got off on the right foot in terms of being that permanent electoral commission that we all want. Education and the role of education is very much part of what the commission's remit will be, but we have to give it time to be able to establish itself on that steady footing to be able to concentrate on the areas that are of immediate concern right now. I certainly see the Electoral Commission having a much wider remit in time than it currently has, as set down, but we cannot overload the new commission.It has to be given an opportunity to establish itself.

On Seanad reform, the Leader said she had campaigned to retain the House. My father, a former Leader of the Seanad, also campaigned to retain it.