O’Rourke backs ITs Seanad votes

THE Government is coming under pressure to extend Seanad election votes to graduates of the country’s institutes of technology and the two excluded universities.

Seanad leader Mary O’Rourke has added her voice to the campaign for change highlighted by the IT sector at the weekend.

A 1979 referendum decided that all higher education institutes should be allowed to vote in the election for the Seanad’s university panel.

But no government has legislated for the changes since then, despite the impact of the 13 ITs, University of Limerick and Dublin City University which have more graduates collectively than the six other universities.

Senator O’Rourke said she supports moves to extend the franchise to graduates of those education institutes. It is one of a number of reforms being considered by a Seanad committee.

“We hope to meet the Taoiseach on the matter this week, but I would certainly be in favour of including the universities panel change in an overall reform package,” the former education minister said.

“However, it could happen that the constitutional amendment might have to be reviewed in light of third level developments since 1979,” Ms O’Rourke added.

Dr Mary Meaney, chair of the Council of Directors of the Institutes of Technology, said such a move could re-ignite interest in politics among young people.

“The law as it stands seems to be saying that an award from one third-level institution is better than an award from another.

“That is simply not fair and must surely impact on the perceived value of the qualification in the community and the job market,” Dr Meaney said.

“The participation rates of young people has fallen over consecutive general elections and extending the Seanad franchise would help reverse this alarming trend,” she said.

An Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution last year advised the eventual abolition, rather than extension, of university representation in the Seanad.

Last night, a spokesperson for Environment Minister Martin Cullen, who has responsibility for electoral reform, said the matter is being kept under review but any changes would most likely fall under an overall package of Seanad reform.

Part of the reluctance of previous administrations to enact the outcome of the 1979 referendum has been the likely lobby for further Seanad electoral reforms that would result.

The Upper House of the Oireachtas is perceived as the preserve of defeated general election candidates of the main political parties.

They would be fearful of that tradition coming under threat from major reforms.

However, Sean O’Connor, a senator for six weeks in 1981 and grandson of former Taoiseach Sean Lemass, is heading a Graduate Equality campaign on the issue.

“It is amazing that the Government made such efforts to push through the Nice Treaty but a referendum passed almost 25 years ago has still to be put into action,” he said.