I oppose the Bill. I notice that it is entitled "An Act to amend the Constitution by reducing the term of office of members of Seanad Eireann hereafter elected and making consequential alterations in regard to the proportion of the members of Seanad Eireann to be elected every three years and in regard to other matters and making special consequential provision in respect of the proportion of such members to be elected at the election held to fill the places of members of Seanad Eireann who are due to retire in the year 1928 and in respect of the term of office of the members elected at such election." It is obvious that the Bill proposes to alter certain sections of the Constitution which deal with the term of office of members of Seanad Eireann and to make other consequential amendments arising therefrom. In order that Deputies may understand the purpose of the Bill and the nature of the objections to it, perhaps it would be no harm if I refer to the sections of the Constitution which it is proposed to amend. Article 31 says:—
"The number of members of Seanad Eireann shall be sixty. A citizen to be eligible for membership of Seanad Eireann must be a person eligible to become a member of Dáil Eireann, and must have reached the age of 35 years. Subject to any provision for the constitution of the first Seanad Eireann the term of office of a member of Seanad Eireann shall be twelve years."
Section 1 of the Constitution (Amendment No. 1) Act, No. 30 of 1925, provides that:
The Constitution shall be and is hereby amended by the insertion therein of the following Article immediately after the Article 31 now contained therein, that is to say:
"31 A.—The duration of the term of office of a member of the first Seanad Eireann shall be reckoned from the beginning of the day on which this Constitution comes into operation, and the duration of the term of office of a member of Seanad Eireann elected under Article 32 of this Constitution shall be reckoned from the beginning of the appropriate triennial anniversary of that day."
Article 32 of the Constitution will also be amended by the passing of this Bill. Article 32 states:
"One-fourth of the members of Seanad Eireann shall be elected every three years from a panel constituted as hereinafter mentioned at an election at which the area of the jurisdiction of the Irish Free State (Saorstát Eireann) shall form one electoral area and the elections shall be held on principles of proportional representation."
Section 2 of the Constitution (Amendment No. 1) Act, No. 30 of 1925, provides that:
The Constitution shall be and is hereby amended by the insertion therein of the following Article, immediately after the Article 32 now contained therein, that is to say:
"32 A. An election of members of Seanad Eireann under Article 32 of this Constitution may be held at any time not more than three months before nor more than three months after the conclusion of the period of three years mentioned in that Article.
"A person who, after the day appointed by law for the completion of the formation of the panel of candidates and before the conclusion of the three years' period running on that day, is chosen under Article 34 of this Constitution to fill a vacancy caused by the death, resignation, or disqualification of a member of Seanad Eireann (other than a member about to retire at the conclusion of the said period) shall hold office until the conclusion of the next three years period and shall then retire."
These, I think, are the Articles of the Constitution which it is proposed to amend by this Constitution (Amendment No. 7) Bill of 1928. The Constitution, of course, has the force of law in this State in consequence of the passing of the Constitution Act. In order that members might be familiar with the terms of the Act it might be no harm to read it.
