Sir, – Reading the text of the rather convoluted 32nd Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill, I was surprised to see a provision that raised the requirement for a charge of impeachment against the President from two-thirds of the membership of either House of the Oireachtas to four-fifths of the membership of Dáil Éireann.
Similarly, the provisions for removing the Comptroller and Auditor General, or a judge of the Supreme Court or the High Court, which currently only require resolutions passed by both Houses (with a simple majority), will in future require the support of “not less than two-thirds of the total membership” of Dáil Éireann.
While these provisions of the Constitution have never been exercised, these changes are significant, and should be highlighted, because they go well beyond what most people might understand by the abolition of the Seanad. – Yours, etc,
AENGUS LAWLOR,
Capitol Road East,
Norriton,
Pennsylvania.
Sir, – Dr Gerard Montague (September 18th) reminds us that in federal systems, the upper house represents the states, whose interests diverge from central government on many issues. Our lower house, he hopes, represents the people.
However, as members of the Dáil famously focus on the pothole-by-pothole, project-by-project interests of their own constituencies, perhaps a second house elected on a national or provincial basis to represent national policy questions is needed in spite of our non-federal system.
Giving the Taoiseach’s nominating power to the President instead could then ensure that minority voices are represented at the expense of political party hacks.
To continue with a system which has the Dáil look after the constituencies while the central government looks after itself, with some tinkering around the edges, is to expect no substantial improvement in results. We need to open up the Seanad and empower it. – Yours, etc,
SEÁN Ó SIOCHRÚ,
Glasnevin,
Dublin 11.
Sir, – Gerard Montague argues that a senate is only appropriate to federal states. In the case of the US, I have heard no objections to according equal representation to California, New York, North Dakota or Vermont, despite the great difference in populations. Has it ever occurred to the politicians that the Seanad might provide a balance to the unending eastward movement of the population centre of gravity and the reducing representation of the west? – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL A MacNAMARA,
Castleconnell,
Co Limerick.
A chara, – Dr Gerard Montague asserts that non-federal countries, apart from Ireland and Britain, do not have second chambers. France, Italy, the Netherlands and Japan are all examples of unitary states that are bicameral.
In addition and crucially, these four countries as well as Britain have devolved extensive powers to local government and regional assemblies. Countries which were previously bicameral and moved to a single chamber, such as Denmark or New Zealand, have strong systems of local government and government accountability to parliament.
We have a system of weak local administration and poor levels of accountability by government to parliament. Abolishing town councils and concentrating more power in the hands of the Economic Management Council, as well as the regular use of guillotines and the party whip, are not signs of commitment to a proper system of checks and balances.
What we do not necessarily need is fewer politicians but rather better and more accountable ones. – Is mise,
Cllr MALCOLM BYRNE,
The Chase,
Gorey,
Co Wexford.
Sir, — In our present time of great austerity, with so many arguing against education cuts, it is even more important that schools are open for their maximum hours.
On Monday, I received a note from my children’s school announcing that it would be closed for use as a polling station on October 4th. A second letter yesterday on behalf of the National Primary Education Alliance asks that I canvass my local Fine Gael TD and write to Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn asking that there be no more cuts to primary education.
I will be writing to both pleading that there be no more cuts to school time for the unnecessary closure of schools for election or referendum purposes.
If voting cannot take place on Saturdays perhaps half-terms could be used. And in any event, why do schools have to be closed when only one or two classrooms are ever used? – Yours, etc,
ALAN WHELAN,
Beaufort,
Co Kerry.
Sir, – The comments by Prof Farrell and others (“Proposals for Dáil reform just don’t cut it”, Opinion & Analysis, September 16th) highlight the need for substantial reform of the Oireachtas and the Constitution.
There are five clear areas where reform is needed: recognition of the citizen as autonomous, competent and sovereign in a Bill of Rights; constitutional establishment of the principle of subsidiarity, both locally and nationally; separation of the legislature from the executive; electoral reform, so that all constituencies have the same number of seats; and provision for the citizens to introduce popular initiatives, without needing the approval of the legislature. – Yours, etc,
MYLES TIERNEY,
Grange Road,
Dublin 16.
Sir, – Does Micheál Martin’s tasteless attack (“Taoiseach rejects ‘uno duce una voce’ accusation”, Home News, September 17th) mean that he plans to give Enda Kenny the same fawning and uncritical support that he bestowed upon CJ Haughey? – Yours, etc,
GED MARTIN,
Shanacoole,
Youghal,
Co Cork.
Sir, – I can assure Bernard Farrell (September 17th) that the policies of “Senator Windows” are transparent. – Yours, etc,
RONAN CAHILL
Moyne Road,
Ranelagh,
Dublin 6.
Sir, – In one of the most feeble defences of the status quo so far, Senator Sean Barrett laments that, if the referendum is passed, voters resident in Antrim, Armagh, Derry, Down, Fermanagh and Tyrone will lose their vote in elections to the Oireachtas (September 18th). Surely they will be consoled by the fact that they can continue to vote in another anachronism, the Eurovision Song Contest, though the rest of the country cannot? Why should they have all kinds of everything? – Yours, etc,
KEVIN O’SULLIVAN,
Ballyraine Park,
Letterkenny,
Co Donegal.
Sir, – I note, thanks to Miriam Lord (“Ireland’s great dictator shakes his head to a TV debate”, September 18th), that “a party handler had written in block capitals on a sheet of paper on the table in front of the Taoiseach: ‘DON’T FORGET TO SMILE!!!’”
No, I can’t see the Taoiseach agreeing to a debate on the future of the Seanad, or anything else for that matter, any time soon. – Yours, etc,
JAMES O’KEEFFE,
Mountjoy Square,
Dublin 1.