Sir, – Michael McDowell’s article “Without reform Seanad remains very imperfect” (Opinion & Analysis, June 17th) all too sadly shines a light on the inertia, obstructionism, hypocrisy and hostility which characterise the current attempt to reform the Seanad.
The reform committee which I chaired was set up in 2014 in the wake of the referendum which narrowly favoured retention of the Seanad. The clear message of that referendum was that people wanted a Seanad – but a greatly reformed one – a message embraced by the leaders of the Yes campaign.
For us on the committee, the fundamental defects in the current Seanad included an elitist and exclusive electoral system which disfranchises the vast majority of citizens and a constitutional concept of vocational representation which has little substance in practice. There are many other defects but the above are at the core of the problem.
The committee I chaired was not made up of academics or external “experts”. Five of its eight members were former senators – the late Maurice Hayes, Mary O’Rourke, Joe O’Toole, the late Pat Magnier and myself – and had served in the Seanad and favoured its retention, but we had a detailed and hard-nosed familiarity with its shortcomings and a strong desire to see it realise its potential. We were not in a position to start with a clean slate. We were obliged to work within the existing constitutional restraints – and we did so in a way that ensured universal suffrage, distinctive composition and a clear role. And much more besides.
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Since then, despite pious aspirations, the implementation of the report has been obstructed at every level, in particular within the Seanad. No Taoiseach or party has opposed the main thrust of the report. But in place of honest leadership there has been obstruction and delay with a clear determination to do nothing.
With an election imminent, we have a right to ask all parties for a clear statement of where they stand and what they propose to do.
I am fully aware that for many people Seanad reform is not much of an issue. But Seanad Éireann is an important part of our constitutional architecture. We voted to retain it. After the result, our politicians assured us it would be reformed. That was 11 years ago. It’s time we got some honest answers. – Yours, etc,
MAURICE MANNING,
Dublin 4.