A Chinn Chomhairle, owing to circumstances over which, for the most part, they have no control, the recipients—if that is the correct word—of obituary notices are not usually in a position to enjoy them or reply to them. The discussion last night, as Deputies will remember, took to a great extent the form of obituary notices on the six University representatives, and as the procedure in this case is still undetermined I do not know what is the correct thing to do. However, as my fellow corpses were all very lively—I think everybody spoke—I should like to say a few words. I do not propose, A Chinn Chomhairle, to follow the discussion, which covered a very wide ground, but I would introduce perhaps a new note into it by bringing it back to the realities, that is to say, what we are considering now.
It is hereby resolved, under Article 38A of the Constitution, that the Constitution (Amendment No. 23) Bill, 1934, be again sent to Seanad Eireann;
that is what we are here to consider. The House, having an opportunity of considering the whole question, considered it at great length. There were many cogent arguments presented on both sides, and, having those arguments before them, the House decided that University representation, as it is now understood, should not continue. That University graduate constituents should have the same franchise as everybody else was the considered opinion of this House. The other House took the opposite view. The question, therefore, comes back to us to consider again. The only reason that could move us, I think, to change our opinion, would be some cogent argument, which we did not hear, although there were brilliant speeches made last night. The best speech, I think, I have ever heard on the value of University education was from my colleague, Deputy McGilligan, but I do not think that there was any argument which would outweigh the expressed opinion of the House when the matter was formerly before us.
There is one thing which would weigh with me and that would be the attitude of the University voters themselves. Well, A Chinn Chomhairle, everybody knows that during the last 18 months they have had an opportunity to consider it. They have had an opportunity of reading all the speeches that were made in favour of it. There were very brilliant speeches I acknowledge, but it is a very strange thing that—this is my own experience and I expect my colleague has had the same experience—of the 2,000 odd voters who sent us here only one wrote to express the opinion, that University representation, as at present understood, should be continued. I laid that opinion, which was that of a valued constituent, before the leaders of my Party, but, considering that the other 2,000 said nothing at all, I expect that they would like to be treated the same as everybody else; that they do not want to be treated as a separate class. I came here as a representative of the University constituents, and within the limits of my disabilities, which Deputy Professor O'Sullivan stressed, I endeavoured to do what I could for them, but as it turned out I found myself just a representative of an ordinary constituency. It happened that for a great part of the time I have been here my late lamented colleague, Deputy Martin McDonogh, was ill. During that time, and after he died, I found that my principal work was that of an ordinary constituency member. I did that work to the best of my ability, in a back-bench way, which I say is a very useful kind of thing. I cannot discover what is the difference between University representation and ordinary constituency representation. The University voters have just the same needs. They want housing facilities; there are questions of old age pensions, and so on. I found that I had to deal with everything which the ordinary constituency representative has to deal with, so I cannot see that the Universities need any special representation. For that reason, therefore, I do not propose, even if my Party allegiance allowed it, to change the way in which I voted on the last occasion. I am glad that there was such a thing as University representation. It has been a great privilege for me to be in this House, to take part in its deliberations, and to take part in the national advance. I take this opportunity of thanking the voters of the National University who sent me here. I am quite sure that in voting as I did on the last occasion, and as I intend to vote now, I am fulfilling their will. I do not wish to take up the time of the House any longer, but I thought I ought to say that much.
