The composition of the electorates who return the State's 60 senators is to be reviewed by a sub-committee on Seanad reform.
The Fianna Fáil leader in the Seanad, Ms Mary O'Rourke, told The Irish Times yesterday that every aspect of the Seanad structure would be looked at under the terms of reference.
"Our review will include public consultations. Oral and written submissions will be sought from interested persons or bodies, including political parties."
The review has been endorsed by the Taoiseach and a civil servant has been assigned to work with the sub-committee. It plans to present an interim report in June and a final one not later than the end of the year.
Currently, 43 members of the Seanad are returned by county councillors and members of the Oireachtas to the vocational panels. Graduates of Trinity College and the constituent colleges of the NUI elect six senators to the university panels. And the Taoiseach of the day appoints 11 nominees, usually party activists who have lost a Dáil seat or aspire to winning one.
The sub-committee, which meets for the first time this week, comprises Ms O'Rourke; the cathaoirleach, Mr Rory Kiely; Mr Brian Hayes of Fine Gael; Mr John Dardis of the Progressive Democrats; Labour's Mr Brendan Ryan; and Mr Joe O'Toole, representing the Independents.
Although the sub-committee represents all strands of political opinion in the Seanad, party sources have privately conceded that reaching a consensus on making substantial changes to the electorates in the vocational and university panels could be difficult. Major parties are unlikely to agree to ending the practice whereby the appointment of the Taoiseach's 11 senators provides for an in-built majority for the government of the day.
While there is cross-party agreement that voting rights in the university panels should be extended to other third-level graduates, the university senators are likely to press for a broader electorate in the vocational panels.
A Fine Gael senator, Mr Paul Coghlan, said he was opposed to changing the electorate for the vocational panels.
"They represent the people at large and have a significant mandate. Councillors represent an average of 1,000 people each."
This view is not shared by the Seanad's longest-serving member, Mr Shane Ross, who represents the University of Dublin. He said that while he would welcome an extension of the vote to other third-level graduates in the university panel elections, there would also have to be reform in the vocational panels and in the Taoiseach's 11.
"Those elected to the vocational panels are nominally vocational. In reality, they are all people with political affiliations. Patronage is absolutely rife in the Seanad and all political parties conspire to keep it that way," he added.
