Seanad abolition referendum debate in Bailieborough

Former Chairman of Cavan County Council Seán McKiernan has said that abolishing the Seanad is not a stand-alone measure, but a major feature in a wider programme of political reform.

Cllr McKiernan, who is also Vice Chairman of his party's National Executive is hosting a public meeting on the forthcoming referendum this Thursday night, September 25 at 9pm in the Bailie Hotel, Bailieborough. Speakers on the night will include Deputy Leader of Fine Gael Minister Dr. James Reilly and Economist Jim Power.

“This programme will reduce the cost of running the country and to make the business of politics and public administration more efficient, more effective and more democratic”, Cllr McKiernan stated.

Ireland currently has 33% more national politicians that any similar sized country in Europe and is the only such country with two houses of parliament. Abolishing the Seanad and reducing the Dáil as planned Cllr McKiernan says will bring the country in line with the average in those countries and is the first step on the way to “meaningful” political reform.

“Politics, like every other part of Irish life, must do more with less” said Councillor McKiernan.

Meanwhile, in the same week Cabinet seeks to approve a Bill to hold a referendum on the abolishing the upper house, voting attendance records at Government buildings revealed up to a quarter of Senators missed at least five sitting days last year.

Among them are locals Diarmuid Wilson who though had one of the best attendance records of all 14 sitting Fianna Fail Senators, while Sinn Fein's Kathryn Reilly who has the lowest attendance our of her three-strong representative party members.

Occasional Acting Chairman Senator Wilson was present for 160 chamber votes, missing 47, while the youngest Senator of the upper house, Senator Reilly was present for just over two-thirds of votes, 133, missing a total of 74.

Independent Senators had the worst combined average voting record last year, while Fine Gael, who operate a strict whip-based system had the best.

Under a system introduced by the late Finance Minister Brian Lenihan, all senators must clock in at Leinster House with an electronic fob for at least 120 days a year to claim up to €29,000-a-year in travel and accommodation expenses on top of their €65,000 per-year in wages. If they do not reach this target they are subsequently docked 1pc for every day they are short.