When counting concluded today for the two university constituencies in the Seanad election, the curtain fell on a long and eventful chapter in Irish political history. The National University of Ireland and Trinity College Dublin constituencies established in 1937 will be replaced by one constituency with six senators elected by holders of a degree from any of the State’s third level institutions.
The old system was in many ways an affront to democracy, and the new one is not much better. In the 1930s only a tiny fraction of the population had a university degree. That percentage is now far higher. But the granting of an additional franchise to any particular group of citizens while denying it to others remains indefensible.
Some will point to the outsized contribution and diversity of views that university senators have made to public life. That is correct. Mary Robinson, David Norris and others have been indispensable voices for justice and equality. Lynne Ruane and Rónán Mullen, who both retained their seats this week, represent polar opposite perspectives that add value to a chamber dominated by the centrist establishment. Michael McDowell and Tom Clonan, who were also re-elected, are parliamentarians of intellect and integrity.
But it is regrettable that this marginal amendment to the electoral system has only come about because the last government was forced to act after losing a constitutional case on the matter.
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The failure over several decades to implement the meaningful Seanad reform that all parties claimed to support brings the entire political system into disrepute. With counts continuing over the weekend for the 43 vocational panel seats, and the Taoiseach due to announce his 11 nominees shortly, there is little doubt that most of those new senators will owe their success to their perceived chances of becoming a TD at the next election rather than to any qualities they will bring to the upper house.
In an era of cynicism about institutions, Seanad reform has become an unhealthy joke about the gap between political posturing and reality.
