Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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254. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he has given consideration to repealing the 7th Amendment to the Constitution in order to allow all students of institutes of technology the right to vote in Seanad Éireann elections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40526/18]

John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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A Programme for a Partnership Government includes a goal for this Government to pursue the implementation of the Manning Report, formally known as the Report of the Working Group on Seanad Reform. That report makes recommendations to restructure and reform the Seanad, including implementation of the 1979 amendment of the constitution to extend the university franchise at Seanad elections to graduates of other institutions of higher education in the State.

In April 2018, the Taoiseach established an Implementation Group on Seanad Reform to consider the Manning report and to develop specific proposals to legislate for Seanad Reform. The Implementation Group comprises Members of the Oireachtas with the assistance of outside experts, as appropriate. The Group held its first meeting on 9 May 2018 and is to report back by end October 2018, with the text of a Bill.

The implementation of the 1979 amendment is to be further considered in the context of the work of the Implementation Group.