VALERIE BRESNIHAN,
Sir, - Regarding the role of Seanad Éireann, I would think that if the late Eamon de Valera, who framed the 1937 Constitution, can see it from wherever he is, he will think it is working perfectly well and as he expected. There will be no change in the composition of Seanad Éireann until his successors in Fianna Fáil want it. They probably feel it is working perfectly well, too. - Yours, etc.,
Senator MARY HENRY, MD,
Seanad Éireann,
Baile Átha Cliath, 2.
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A chara, - Much as I admire David Norris, he is being a little disingenuous in his letter of July 1st. He writes: "Any Irish citizen can present himself or herself as a candidate as long as he or she can persuade 10 graduates in good standing on the electoral register to support their candidacy."
Mr Norris here implies equality of citizenship, which is simply not the case. The reality is that the Seanad electoral system is heavily biased in favour of candidates with institutional financial support: political parties, trade unions, etc. Further, the media, in this election campaign at least, have displayed their own version of inequality. They have not displayed an equal or fair interest in all the candidates, let alone their policies.Some newspapers, for instance, have not even mentioned the names of lesser known candidates in their accounts of the Seanad campaign.
Therefore, a very superficial type of equality underpins the worthy principles of the Seanad, which are to act as a check on the main legislative chamber, to represent particular areas or interest groups, and to function as an additional input of expertise into policy formation and legislation.
Having said that, both David Norris and Garret FitzGerald (Opinion, June 22nd) are right to emphasise the importance of the Seanad. They are also correct to state that the university senators contribute disproportionately to the Seanad debates. The reason is obvious. The majority of university senators are both independent-minded and independent of political parties.
Many people have suggested reform. I believe we need to model all the vocational interest groups on the university model. In other words, we need more truly representative and independent-minded sectional interests, not fewer. - Yours, etc.,
VALERIE BRESNIHAN,
Woodbine Road,
Booterstown,
Co Dublin.
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A chara, - Election to Seanad seats by the graduates of Dublin University and the NUI has provoked controversy in your columns. The actual voting by graduates, however, is academic if eligible voters do not receive ballot papers.
From my experience, the post office makes only one attempt to deliver registered letters containing Seanad ballot papers. Staff on overtime undertake those special postal rounds at erratic hours. If the addressee is not at home, no further effort is made.
Post uncollected at the local delivery office is returned to the sender after three days. Telephone enquiries to the delivery office are likely to encounter apathy.
Electors and candidates should be alert to the above problems to avoid losing valuable votes. - Is mise,
ANTHONY P. QUINN,
Law Library,
Dublin 7.