Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senators for their contributions. To respond to Senator Warfield specifically, the Minister has no role in ruling on amendments. The issues he raised, and that all three Senators raised during their contributions, are very similar. We agree reform was somewhat forced on us but it is an important step forward. This Bill will result in a significant expansion of the electorate in Seanad elections which is an important step forward.

I agree with Senator Cummins about looking at the positives from this and the opportunities we can derive from this. In response to Senator Martin who made an impassioned plea for reform of the Seanad, and I know all of the Senators are in agreement on this, we now have An Coimisiún Toghcháin to better inform what shape that reform might take and make this Chamber a more powerful force for our democracy and protecting our democracy at a time when it is under threat from all angles and from outside forces. That is critically important and at a critically important time.

It is important also to state we are coming to the end of a cycle of government and there was not a commitment to Seanad reform in this programme for Government. It is a three-party Government and we agree on a document through engagement, collaboration and consensus but I hope that when the political parties head out and draft their manifestos there will be a reference to meaningful Seanad reform.That could be enabled through the work of An Coimisiún Toghcháin and the work it will do after electoral events and through its research programme to help inform our decision-making. I reiterate that this is a very positive step forward, as the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, has said already.