On behalf of the Fianna Fáil group in Seanad Éireann, I welcome Senator Máiría Cahill to the House and members of her family to the Public Gallery. We look forward to working with her for the remainder of this Seanad. I understand from recent media reports that Senator Cahill has no desire to sit in the Lower House. I have no doubt she will wish to remain in the Upper House once she sees how it operates.

On the issue of the by-election, I agree with Senator Norris that it is unacceptable that somebody would be elected in a closed shop, with just Members of this House and the Lower House allowed to vote. In this context, I wish to inform colleagues that Fianna Fáil intends putting forward legislation next week that would expand the electorate for any by-election to fill a casual vacancy in one of the 43 seats in this House to include county and city councillors.

It is our intention to introduce the legislation next week as part of Seanad reform in the present-----

That is very-----

Please allow Senator Wilson to continue without interruption.

As someone who came through the Seanad electoral process in recent months, Senator Craughwell should welcome the extension of the franchise to the entire electorate of county and city councillors. I understand from Senator Norris that if a vacancy arises on a university panel, it is open to the entire electorate to vote in the subsequent election.

There is a big difference between 60,000 voters and 200 voters.

For the same reason, the franchise should be extended to the entire electorate in respect of the 43 Senators who are elected under the vocational panels. I welcome Senator Cahill and look forward to working with her.