The members will be aware that our written submission addresses one of the items on their agenda, namely, the composition of Seanad Éireann and, specifically, representation on the university panels. It is our view that the current electoral base for these constituencies is too narrow. Teachers who are graduates of either the NUI or Trinity College are eligible to vote in Seanad elections while teachers who are graduates of other third level institutions are not eligible. We believe that is unfair. For example, graduates of the two biggest colleges, Mary Immaculate College and St. Patrick's College in Drumcondra, do not have votes as their degrees are awarded by the University of Limerick and DCU respectively. Graduates of the smaller colleges do have votes as their degrees are awarded by TCD.
The key point in our submission is that the franchise should be extended to third level graduates of all universities and colleges. I realise in making this assertion that two questions immediately arise. First, should the question of university representation survive this review? If the answer to this question is "Yes", how widely do we extend the franchise? On the first question, we believe in a second Chamber of Parliament. We believe the Seanad should be representative of the various sectors of our society and that in any democracy, our third level institutions play a vital leading and innovative role in terms of new ideas and free thinking. The State has been ably served by the people chosen by graduates on university panels, not least by our own former general secretary, Senator O'Toole. We also believe the university panels have enabled people not associated with any political party to be elected to the Oireachtas. In shaping the second Chamber of Parliament which is representative of society, we are supportive of the model that uses third level institutions as a constituency.
The second question of how widely the franchise should be extended needs considerable teasing out. We recommend as a starting point that the franchise should be extended to the universities not currently included and to the institutes of technology. The best way to extend equity may be to abolish the existing two panels, the NUI and the Trinity panels, and establish one graduate panel with an extended number of seats, for example, to nine.
I will conclude by making one final suggestion on the general composition of the Seanad. As previously stated, we support the concept that the Seanad should be representative of the various groups in society. We also value extending the opportunity to various groups to nominate candidates. We are a nominating body to the Cultural and Educational Panel and believe that provision should be retained.
The current panels and the number of seats attached to each need re-examination to reflect the changes in society. These panels were established on a vocational basis, which at the time represented the church view of how society should be organised on a vocational basis. We believe that today perhaps the vocational organisation of society does not hold up. Therefore, a simple solution would be to extend representation to the four social pillars by allowing each of the partners, the employers, the unions, the farming and community and voluntary sectors, to nominate, following their internal election selection procedures. By doing so, we would invite a fair representation of society today into this Chamber.
A similar arrangement might be made to facilitate groups representing the religious and spiritual aspects of our lives. Rather than such groups outside this Chamber commenting on what is happening in here, they should be represented in here on major issues of social importance. That would extend the franchise further and enable, for example, representatives of the unemployed and disadvantaged such as the St. Vincent de Paul, etc., to secure their voice in this Chamber.
I am sure other groups will make submissions proposing the extension of the franchise to include representatives of communities in Northern Ireland, our citizens abroad and non-nationals. We would like to add our voice of support to those submissions.