SEANAD REPORT:THE CONSTITUTIONAL convention to be established by the Government should seek substantial membership from the unionist community in Northern Ireland and from the Alliance Party, because these were the people we would be attempting to involve in redefining relationships between both traditions on this island, Seán Barrett (Ind) said.

A contradiction we had to live with was that there were people who, on the one hand, were very proud to be Irish, but who also had a loyalty to the UK.

We needed to devise political institutions that could reflect this.

A Sinn Féin motion before the House to have voting rights in presidential elections extended to Irish citizens in the North would be ideal if it were also to be extended to members of the unionist community to enable them to have a say in who would be president, said Mr Barrett.

The success of Northern Ireland to date in regard to the restored parliament was most encouraging. He believed the Seanad could play the role that its predecessors had done from 1922 to l937.

“So it may be that as we evolve new forms of governance for the entire island, that representation in this Senate for those who might not yet be attracted to the Dáil is a possibility.”

The Sinn Féin motion, described as premature by several Government members, was defeated on a vote.

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government Phil Hogan said in considering a review of the presidential nomination process, as also proposed by Sinn Féin, careful consideration would have to be given to taking this important constitutional role from councillors. Referring to arguments Irish people living abroad should be entitled to vote for a president, the Minister said we had an extensive diaspora.

Consideration would need to be given to the potential impact of many thousands of voters living outside the jurisdiction.