THE GOVERNMENT is proceeding with its proposed referendum to abolish Seanad Éireann, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said last night, despite the fact that “some people are getting very hot and bothered” about the issue.
Mr Kenny had been asked to comment on a letter in The Irish Times yesterday in which six prominent former senators – TK Whitaker, Mary O’Rourke, Bríd Rodgers, Maurice Hayes, John A Murphy and Mary Henry – urged reform rather than abolition of the Upper House.
He added: “While I welcome the fact that the six former members of the Seanad write for its preservation, well, they served in the place. We’ve had recommendations about reforming Seanad Éireann for 70 years and nobody did anything about it, and suddenly I find that some people are getting very hot and bothered.”
The Taoiseach, who was speaking to reporters on his arrival at the MacGill Summer School, pointed out that Seanad abolition was “a specific commitment in the programme for government”.
He added: “It’s a case of continuing with the work to deal with the legislation and the Bill to give effect to the referendum.
“In due course, the Government will put that question to the people because it is part of an agreed position of both parties in Government, and I reaffirmed that to the Seanad when I spoke before them, just last week.”
He added: “Both parties in Government campaigned on this issue before the election – that Seanad Éireann would be abolished and that you make other political and legislative changes to the way politics operates in the Oireachtas.”
The Taoiseach said: “You can take it that the question will be asked of the people and the people will give their choice and their answer.”
Asked when it would take place, he said: “It’s a matter of practicality here as to when we actually do the referendum and ask them the question.”
The letter from the former senators was mentioned in more favourable terms in an address to the summer school by former tánaiste and Progressive Democrats leader Michael McDowell, who said the authors had “done this State some service”.
“They challenge us to consider whether it would not be preferable to grasp at long last the nettle of parliamentary reform to make the Seanad what it was intended to be – a valuable counterpoint in the democratic process to Dáil Éireann.
“I believe that their intervention is valuable and deeply important for the health of Irish democracy.”
Senator Averil Power told the summer school that the Mahon and Moriarty reports were “a damning indictment of the individuals concerned”, many of whom were members of her own party, Fianna Fáil.
“Through corrupt activity or inadequate ethical standards, key members and leaders of the Fianna Fáil organisation brought shame on my party, brought shame on Fianna Fáil and brought shame on their profession.
“They abused the trust placed in them by the voters, their colleagues and our country, and debased the very notion of public service.”
The publication of the Mahon report last March was “a seminal date” for Fianna Fáil.
“For me, failure to act would have rendered the party totally unworthy of public confidence or support and put paid to our efforts to truly renew ourselves. Thankfully, the response was both swift and comprehensive,” she said.
Dr Elaine Byrne, TCD politics lecturer and author of Political Corruption in Ireland 1922-2010, A Crooked Harp? said “Official Ireland” had ignored and ostracised whistleblowers and others who exposed corruption, and this was still the case.
