Madam, - Brian Foley (September 16th) and others criticise the election of senators from the university constituencies, deploring the practice as "undemocratic". But what is undemocratic about the direct election of public representatives to serve a designated sector in society? This is the very basis of our political system.
Also, the university senators have often gone far beyond the narrow interests of their constituencies to address important issues at the national and European levels; Mary Robinson and David Norris spring immediately to mind.
In the context of the Seanad itself, the university senators are the only members of the house to be selected by democratic means, with the vast majority appointed by the vocational panels - in essence, a sort of conveyor-belt of cronyism - and 11 appointed directly by the Taoiseach, thus ensuring a permanent government majority.
The current Seanad is certainly in need of reform but the university senators are not the problem. Indeed, the upper house itself, flawed though it may be, is surely something to be prized, insofar as it engenders reflection and caution in the legislative process - a quality especially relevant in this era of effectively single-party government. - Yours, etc,
OWEN CORRIGAN,
Drimnagh,
Dublin 12.
Madam, - Like Brian Foley, I will soon to be graduating from Trinity College. Unlike him, I have every intention of registering to vote for the Seanad and of using that vote at every opportunity. I am unclear as to exactly what Mr Foley is proposing: the scraping of the Dublin and National University seats, or the opening of the franchise for them to the public in general?
If he wishes the former, is it his intention to further remove the Seanad from democracy and deliver it completely to cronyism? If the latter, what sort of mandate will those elected have? They would be a handful of representatives with very little power, elected by the whole nation, surely making them suited only to being future presidential hopefuls.
The Seanad university seats were created to represent a different constituency than any other; in an ideal world they would be some of the best and brightest elected by the best and brightest to debate the issues of government. Practically, the Dublin University seat was created to placate and give some representation to Protestants who felt otherwise disfranchised and under threat.
While this may no longer be a vital role, David Norris's presence in the Seanad is a clear sign that the underlying principle of representing groups that could otherwise be marginalised is still valid and is being served by these seats. - Yours, etc,
DAVID HARTE,
Sperrin Road,
Dublin 12.