Seanad Eireann

Abolition of the Seanad ignores Ireland’s need for democratic renewal…

Mick Fealty on June 5, 2013, 4:20 pm

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Vincent Browne gets all academic today on the subject of the poor state of Irish democracy: We now have a form of representative democracy whereby almost the sole independent function of our elected representatives is to choose a Taoiseach, after which the government formed by the Taoiseach is effectively immune from accountability during its period in office. A government that regards election promises as disposable at will. Is it tolerable that the people are denied, effectively, any means of changing …

Referendum proposing the abolition of the Seanad just weeks away…

Mick Fealty on May 8, 2013, 11:43 am

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In his op ed in the Irish Times recently, Conor Brady noted: It is limiting and dangerous to have a single, received orthodoxy when there is fear and suffering all about. Yet ironically, as one part of the Oireachtas (the presidency) finds its voice, another (the Seanad) may be about to be silenced permanently. It’s a theme I’ve tried to amplify in an audioboo I recorded last night, not least regarding the abiding lack of plurality in the Irish governmental …

And Labour loses another another one to the budget…

Mick Fealty on December 19, 2012, 3:53 pm

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When Deputy Adams tried to take the Taoiseach to task over the budget’s 20% slash of the Respite Care Allowance, he was going with the run of play. It was singled out by FF and SF not least for the discomfort they knew it would cause deputies in the Labour Party… Now, it seems, they have lost another member of their Oireachtas team, and Senator James Heffernan is the latest to loose the Labour whip (we can confirm he has)… along …

Haste and fast tracking are best reasons NOT to abolish Seanad Eireann

Mick Fealty on July 28, 2012, 10:41 am

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Great piece in the Irish Times today, from Philip Pettit of Princeton University why the the proposal to abolish the Seanad is the wrong way to go: The need to put legislation through a second house ensures against the danger of fast-tracking inadequately considered laws. The existence of a second house creates a base for dissident voices to be heard in the community, guarding against majority complacency. And the requirement for the second house to agree on the dismissal of …

Does SIPO consider a ‘donation in kind’ an exception to the legislation?

Mick Fealty on October 4, 2011, 12:04 pm

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The specific legislation concerned is in Section 24 of the Electoral Act of 1997 (which is well worth going through to test the argument below for loopholes). Sitting snugly under Faduda’s story on Martin McGuinness there is another one which details a prima facae case that Senator David Cullinane may be breach of the donation rules. And it looks as though other Sinn Fein members of the Oireachtas may be using a similar rationale for not making a full declaration of …

Phil Hogan is wrong. Ireland needs more elected reps, not less.

Mick Fealty on July 1, 2011, 1:47 pm

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Great rant from Noel Whelan on the Late Debate last night, regarding Fine Gael Environment Minster Phil Hogan’s claim that because of the latest census figures, he could not cut the current total of TDs by the twenty promised in his party’s manifesto: If Fine Gael wanted to reduced the number of TDs by twenty they could prepare a very short referendum bill that could be voted on on the same day as the Presidential election. They don’t need a …

Baby, bath water and the planned abolition of Seanad Eireann

Mick Fealty on May 11, 2011, 8:45 am

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If I have misgivings about the abolition of the Seanad, some of them are reflected in these comments from Michael Burrows the Anglican Bishop of Cashel and Ossory, who argues that “it is just not good enough to offer the people a Hobson’s choice between the present Seanad or no Seanad at all.”: The Senate does need reform and one improvement would be to hold elections to it, in whatever manner is used, simultaneously with Dáil elections so that service in the …

Following on: Ó Broin to run for Seanad.

John Ó Néill on March 5, 2011, 9:51 pm

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Launched close to the end of the general election campaign, Fine Gael’s five point plan may effectively become a checklist of things Fine Gael won’t do in government. Despite a bit of brinksmanship, Labour’s involvement in government may be only the tiniest bit in doubt (well, as of 8 pm this evening), so some component of the five point plan will inevitably fall by the wayside in an agreed programme for government. At the same time, the recent noises from Barroso and Merkel both suggest that the …

“It’s all a bit hasty and half-cock…”

Pete Baker on February 8, 2011, 2:10 pm

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The Guardian‘s Michael White attempts to get to grips with the various parties’ sudden positioning on the need for political reform ahead of the Irish general election. Why are all the parties thrashing around for reform? You must have guessed. Because after 20 years of purring happily as the Celtic Tiger economy, the Republic of Ireland has suffered a double smash since the crash of 2007, its cronyist politics – obsessed with permanent pork-barrel electioneering – widely blamed for not challenging the …

“If you had a referendum to abolish the Dail, it would probably be carried”

Mick Fealty on January 4, 2011, 12:29 pm

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So it seems the abolition of Seanad Eireann is about as popular with Fianna Fail Senators as the same suggestion by Enda Kenny was with Fine Gael members of the upper house. They’ve had a year to get used to it, so many of the sceptics are unwillingly coming round to accepting party policy. In the Irish Independent, Senator Jim Walsh of Fianna Fail was scathing of his own party’s senior murmurings: “It’s a throwback to our auction politics system. …

Fianna Fail’s ‘shimmy’ on Seanad abolition…

Mick Fealty on January 3, 2011, 5:28 pm

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Given the government is now falling in with Fine Gael’s decision over a year ago to get rid of Seanad Eireann, without telling a lot of their own Senators, here’s my interview with Brian Hayes at that time for a literate overview of how we’ve come to this pass… (Bear in mind that it looks like they may have to force that one without the help of the Greens – ed) For reference, here’s Fianna Fail’s attack on the move …

Donie Cassidy: Sorry lads, there’s no sitting. I’m off to play golf in Turkey…

Mick Fealty on June 8, 2010, 10:25 am

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Whilst we’ve been obsessing with things Nordie, there’s been a whole series of awkward expenses stories in the south that’s led, for instances, to the resignation of the Fianna Fail whip by Ivor Callely. Technically there’s nothing wrong with Parliamentarians playing golf with other Parliamentarians from other countries. But when you close down the upper house in order to facilitate your trip, that’s a different matter. Apparently that’s what Fianna Fail Senator (and leader of the house) Donie Cassidy did… …