Gormley to prioritise single third-level constituency

ENVIRONMENT Minister John Gormley will today tell the Seanad he will prioritise the abolition of the two existing university constituencies as part of his overall plans to reform the upper house.

In what may prompt a stormy response from some of the exchanges with the six independent university senators, Mr Gormley will argue that the current situation where only graduates of Trinity College and the National University of Ireland can vote is “anomalous”.

Mr Gormley is understood to favour the introduction of a system where all Irish graduates, irrespective of institution, are entitled to vote in a single third-level constituency.