What springs to mind when you hear the words an Seanad Eireann? A roomful of suits falling asleep in their chairs to the steady drone of dull debate?

In fact the Irish Senate – also known as the upper house of the Oireachtas, as opposed to the lower house, or the Dail – can be an arena for open and stimulating debate, where the voices of minority or under-represented groups should get a hearing. This sort of debate is one of its main functions. (Its other most important function is to provide a forum for a second review of legislation once it’s passed through the Dail.)

It’s worth remember that two of the most radical changes in Irish law and society over the past few decades – the legalisation of contraception and the decriminalisation of homosexuality – were initiated in the Senate by progressive Senators Mary Robinson and David Norris.

Robinson and Norris used the Senate to creatively push and help normalise seemingly radical ideas, at a time when the Dail wouldn’t touch them, thus exposing Ireland to a debate which we needed to have on the nature of sexuality, sexual politics, equal rights, discrimination and personal freedom.

The Senate as a revolutionary agent of positive change? Smart senators know it’s possible, despite the fact that the composition of the Seanad tends to reflect party strengths in the Dail, meaning that in practice, the Senate usually divides into predictable groups supporting and opposing government business when voting on issues. This reflection of party strengths is a result of the rather undemocratic senate electoral system, something which politically progressive Senate candidates, like the ones highlighted here, want to see reformed.

The Senate is composed of 60 members. 11 are nominated by the Taoiseach, a fact that’s criticised by reformers as undemocratic. A further 43 are elected from five panels representing vocational interests, namely (i) Culture and Education, (ii) Agriculture, (iii) Labour, iv. Industry and Commerce and (v) Public Administration. These 43 Senate members are elected by members of the incoming Dail, the outgoing Seanad, County Councils and County Borough Councils: a narrow electorate which reform-advocates want to see widened, so that vocational groups can elect as well as nominate candidates. This would mean that, for example, trade union members could directly elect the Labour panel.

The remaining six members of the Senate are elected by the graduates of the two universities, three each by the National University of Ireland (NUI) and the Dublin University (DU) at Trinity College. This is also criticised as elitist, because there’s no justifiable grounds for excluding graduates of other institutes of higher education. It is through these six university seats, however, that members of the public who’ve graduated from the NUI or DU can exert an influence over Seanad Eireann.

The original idea to base the Senate on the five vocational panels listed above was to make the upper house representative of people by virtue of their vocations. Thus no legislation could be passed in Ireland without extra scrutiny by senators with expertise in the areas represented by the panels and the academic seats. For example, a bill to do with the system of arts administration, or a bill on social welfare, would be studied not just by people who represent particular geographical areas, as in the Dail, but also by people who have direct expertise or experience in the arts or social welfare.

It’s another way of people being represented which isn’t based on geographical constituency. This is important for young people, who tend to move around a lot and don’t necessarily have an attachment to a particular geographical constituency. Representation by somebody who’s in the same trade or profession rather than the same constituency may feel more meaningful.

Advocates of Senate reform believe that while the original ideas behind the Senate are valid, the selecting mechanism is flawed and undemocratic and needs to widened. “Because the Taoiseach can nominate 11 people, you’ve always got a government majority in the Senate,” says Ivana Bacik, DU Senate candidate. “That’s the most undemocratic aspect of the Senate, and it neuters it.”

A senator’s work involves researching and preparing speeches on social, economic and financial issues, and scrutinising and drafting amendments to legislation. Senators also assume major roles in public debate over current political and social issues, as they’re often called upon for comment by the media.

Many people in the general public who can vote for Senate members – graduates of NUI or the DU, Trinity College – don’t vote because they don’t know about it. To find out about the candidates for the six university Senate seats and how to vote for them, contact the Alumni or Senate Electoral Offices of the universities.

Voting for socially-aware candidates – like those here – could make a big difference to Irish society, as progressive senators have shown.

Five go for the senate

IVANA BACIK, Barrister and Lecturer in Criminal Law at Trinity College, member of the Labour Party. DU Candidate.

Pro-choice abortion reform, increased education access and equality, Senate restructuring and criminal justice reform – including decriminalisation of cannabis, which Bacik claims openly to have smoked – are on Bacik’s agenda. “Decriminalisation of cannabis is seen radical at the present time, though I don’t think it’s a radical policy but a sensible, mainstream policy.” Mary Robinson’s use of the Senate to open debate on sexual politics has inspired Bacik’s resolve to continue “pushing out the boundaries” in the Senate.

ROSALEEN McDONAGH, Traveller activist. DU Candidate.

“Mine is an anti-racist agenda,” says Rosaleen McDonagh, “that would reflect the cultural diversity in Ireland, with a particular focus on travellers and the way they’ve been left out of the legislative process.”

MATT HARNEY, science academic and co-ordinator of the UCD Science Access Programme. NUI Candidate.

Matt Harney’s main concerns are tackling educational disadvantage, prison and sentencing reform, and the advancement of technology in a scientifically regulated way in legislation. He’s concerned that few senators are scientists, yet they are scrutinising scientific legislation around which arise serious ethical problems, particularly in the areas of medical and agricultural biotechnology. Harney is director of a charity called Upward Bound, which works in disadvantaged areas of Dublin city centre for more access to education.

VALERIE BRESNEHAN, Chairperson of the Irish Penal Reform Trust. NUI Candidate.

“I’m prepared to ask the awkward questions,” says Valerie Bresnehan. “Access to health and education are my two main issues. I’m interested in social deprivation, and I feel that unless these two problems are addressed then there’s problems for society as a whole. We can’t point the finger at joyriders and other ‘criminals’ unless we address the reasons and causes as to why they’re ending up in prison. Social disadvantage is the main problem.”

NOEL MURPHY, Secretary of the Independent Workers’ Union, member of the Communist Party. NUI Candidate.

“The main thrust around my campaign centres around opposition to the Nice Treaty,” says one-time butcher Noel Murphy. “Last year the Irish people had a referendum on Nice and they rejected it. It is ridiculous that it’s being put before the Irish people again.” Murphy is also running on reform of the 1990 Industrial Relations Act and support for the Northern Ireland Peace Process.