People living in the North and emigrants registered with Irish embassies should be given the right to vote for the Republic's senators, Sinn Féin has claimed.
Sinn Féin vice president Pat Doherty said: "Sinn Féin believes that there is a need for the complete overhaul of the Seanad to make it democratic, accountable and relevant".
The West Tyrone MP was speaking following the publication of his party's submission to the Oireachtas sub-committee on Seanad reform.
"We believe that the Seanad should be elected by universal suffrage of citizens of all the 32 counties of Ireland and those resident here for more than five years who are over the age of 16 years.
"Pending the reintegration of the national territory, citizens resident in the Six Counties [Northern Ireland] would cast their ballot by postal vote.
"Emigrants registered with their appropriate Irish Embassy or consulate would be entitled to vote," he added.
Under the current system, the election for the Seanad takes place not later than 90 days after the dissolution of the Dáil. The voting system used is proportional representation by secret postal ballot.
Forty-three members of the Seanad are elected from panels of candidates, covering five sectors - administrative, agriculture, culture and education, industry and commerce and labour.
The electorate comprises of TDs, outgoing Senators and members of every council of a county or county borough.
A separate election is held for each of the five panels.
The universities elect six Senators while the Taoiseach also has 11 nominees.
Last week, the SDLP said the direct election of Senatorswould be preferable but that it could prove difficult to operate in Northern Ireland.
The party proposed that Northern Ireland MPs, councillors and Assembly members should form an electoral college that would cast postal votes in Seanadelections.
PA