Thousands denied right to Seanad election vote

CITIZENS are rightly concerned that the electoral register for Dáil elections is accurate and fully inclusive. But Government is also responsible for ensuring that elections to the Seanad are fully democratic.

Tens of thousands of graduates will be denied a vote in the Seanad election unless the law is changed immediately. People who graduated through study in institutes of technology, the University of Limerick, Dublin City University, the Institute of Public Administration and teacher training colleges will continue to be disenfranchised.

This category includes many teachers of engineering, wood technology and physical education.

It also includes journalists, public servants, engineers, scientists, business graduates, architects, creative artists and childcare professionals.

Indeed, any graduate who was not conferred by either the National University of Ireland or Dublin University (Trinity College) will be unable to vote.

I call on the Government to introduce legislation immediately so this matter may be remedied before the next general election.

The continued denial of the right to vote to these graduates is deliberate.

The Oireachtas Committee on Seanad Reform reported two-and-a-half years ago.

It recommended that a single six-seat constituency be established in which all graduates would be entitled to vote. This would replace the NUI and Dublin University panels.

Everybody purports to be in favour of the change, but nothing is done to implement it.

I call on all existing university senators to ensure this discrimination ends by forcefully and continuously intervening in the Seanad until such time as the Government introduces the necessary legislation or, if necessary, the senators themselves should try to bring the issue to a head by introducing a private member’s bill.

Paddy Healy

School of Physics

Dublin Institute of Technology

Kevin Street

Dublin 8