I move for leave to introduce a Bill "entitled an Act to amend the Constitution by deleting the provisions now contained therein as to the formation of a panel for the purpose of the election of members of Seanad Eireann and by providing in lieu thereof that the formation of such panel shall be regulated by law."
As the Constitution stands, every outgoing Senator and every ex-Senator has the right of nomination on the panel. The Seanad has the right to nominate one-third of the panel, and the Dáil has the right to nominate two-thirds. The panel consists of three times the number of candidates who are to be elected. Within a few years' time, if Providence is good to the outgoing Senators and ex-Senators, we might, if the present system continued to operate, have a panel of 200 names on the list. On the last occasion when an election took place 67 names were on the panel. This particular constitutional amendment proposes to have a panel regulated according to law. The intention is that 20 names should be selected by the Seanad and 20 names selected by the Dáil, and that outgoing Senators or ex-Senators will not have the right to put their names on the panel. Formerly they had that right by acquainting the President of the Executive Council, and their names automatically went on. The reason it is not considered advisable to apply that principle now is that if the Dáil or the Seanad will not support an outgoing Senator's name it is obviously useless to have his name on the panel for election. The proposal of the Committee was that a nominating college should be set up. I gave careful consideration to that matter, and it was also considered by the Executive Council. I am not satisfied that the term "nominating college" is an attractive one, but the suggestion is practicable, and, therefore, it is proposed to regulate the formation of a panel by law in the way I have indicated.
