Sir, - Vincent Browne argues (July 2nd) that Seanad Eireann is not working, is incapable of reform, is redundant and should therefore be abolished.
The Constitution Review Group Report shows that of the 177 Bills which came before the Seanad between 1985 and 1994, 31 were amended by it. If one in six Bills needed improvement before being passed into law then the interests of all citizens affected by legislation must have been protected. Without the Seanad, presumably 31 unamended or unimproved Bills would now be part of our legislation. This does not take into account those Bills which were improved by way of discussion and argument and which did not require the formality of a voted amendment.
To say that this is a reason for abolition is a little like the person who, on looking at a new building said, "it would be a great addition to that house if you took away the gable end". It would most certainly be no addition if the House was removed completely.
Vincent Browne is on much stronger ground when he says that many groups are not represented in Seanad Eireann. Women in particular are mentioned and their representation, or rather lack of it, in both the Dail and Seanad is a cause of disquiet. This, however, is not the only area where they are not present in numbers equal to their percentage of the population.
I have noticed that of those journalists credited with a by-line in The Irish Times, men out-number women by more than two to one. In the Letters page women are very much in the minority.
As a graduate of the National University of Ireland and, like Mr Browne, one of the "over-represented groups", I would argue that the franchise should be extended to all citizens as it was in the early years of the State. The fact that only 25 per cent of the electorate bothered to vote at that time is no reason to believe that such would be the case today.
It would be a simple procedure to have a list of candidates nominated by various groups of bodies voted on at precisely the same time as the Dail election. The composition of such groups could be amended from time to time by way of addition or deletion as demand required. In this way all 60 seats could be filled on a national basis and the Seanad would represent every voter in the country. The Pounds 3 million a year which the Seanad costs would be much better spent if every citizen felt part of its selection.
Vincent Browne has begun an important debate, I would argue however, that reform rather than abolition is what is called for. - Yours, etc.,
Seanad Candidate, N.U.I. Panel, Falcarragh, Co Donegal