Trinity College should be allowed to retain its three seats in the Seanad, the Provost, Dr John Hegarty, said yesterday.
Mr Hegarty told the Seanad's sub-committee on Seanad reform that introducing a single large constituency encompassing all the university seats would dilute the Trinity representation and would be less likely to favour the election of independent candidates, the valuable link between senators and individual institutions would be lost.
The University of Dublin would not be in favour of single- seat constituencies, on the grounds that the election of each individual senator would involve a disproportionate degree of organisation and effort.
If the franchise was to be extended, the university would favour the creation of new multi-seat constituencies.
Ms Jean O'Hara, administrative officer, Seanad Electoral Office, University of Dublin, said there were problems in having the ballot of graduates conducted by registered post, because it was not always possible to ensure that the would-be recipients were available to sign for voting papers sent by this form of post.
The university would favour the adoption of a direct mail procedure or of electronic voting. Contact had been made with the Department of the Environment and Local Government about the possibility of adopting the latter approach.
The disability rights campaigner, Ms Kathy Sinnott, said that the public believes the Seanad is an expensive waste of space. Ms Sinnott, who narrowly missed out on a Dáil seat at last year's general election, said the public's perception was tragic, because the Seanad held the key to really good legislation.
To have an effective upper house, she said, there would have to be changes to the way candidates were nominated and elected. Dr Yvonne Galligan, of Gender Balance, said special temporary measures were needed to achieve gender balance in the Oireachtas. One way of doing this would be to have male and female electoral panels, the voting outcome being determined on a gender ratio.
Mr John Carr, general secretary, of the Irish National Teachers Organisation, said one way of expanding the general composition of the Seanad would be to extend specific representation to the four social partner pillars by allowing each of them to nominate two senators.