Two local politicians oppose Seanad abolition plan

Profile by Karen Downey Updated: Wednesday, 21st October, 2009 5:30pm

Deputy Mary O'Rourke and Senator Nicky McFadden have both opposed proposals by Fine Gael leader Deputy Enda Kenny to abolish the Seanad.

Deputy Kenny said this week that if Fine Gael was in power he would hold a referendum within one year seeking the abolition of the Seanad and he would also seek to reduce the number of TDs by 20. His controversial proposal has met with much opposition locally, although it has also garnered support from some corners.

Senator Nicky McFadden, a member of Deputy Kenny's party, said she had found out via email at 4pm on Saturday that Deputy Kenny was planning to make his proposal at his presidential dinner on Saturday night.

She said: "I don't agree it should be abolished. I believe there has to be reform and I believe politicians should lead by example."

She added that while she felt the Seanad needed to be reformed, there was a need for a second house as a watchdog. Senator McFadden said there was much more time to discuss proposed legislation in the Seanad than the Dáil.

And while they may come from different sides of the political fence, Fianna Fáil's Deputy Mary O'Rourke, who has served as the leader of the Seanad, also disagreed with Deputy Kenny's proposal and said she did not think this proposal was a brave one.

She explained that in 2004 she, along with Brian Hayes, Joe O'Toole, John Dardis and Brendan Ryan, had compiled a report on Seanad reform and she said she still believed this was the best option.

"At the time the senators wouldn't go for reform, but I still think the reform road is the best road," she told the Westmeath Independent.

Senator Nicky McFadden, the only Athlone person currently in the Seanad, defended the house's purpose.

"We have more time to debate issues in the Seanad, rural transport being one such issue recently."

She added that she took her role in the Seanad very seriously and used the forum to discuss issues of importance to her constituents in Longford/Westmeath and issues of national importance. She said she regularly meets her constituents and just yesterday (Tuesday) opened a constituency office on Seán Costello Street in the town.

Senator McFadden said she would like to see the Seanad reformed, with perhaps less senators and more decision making powers for the Seanad.

She said while she didn't agree with the abolition of the Seanad, she believed Enda Kenny had shown good leadership and was right to want reform. She said she looked forward to discussing the issue with him and her other colleagues in the coming days.

Although Deputy Mary O'Rourke also disagreed with the proposal to abolish the Seanad, she conceded that if a referendum was held it was likely people would vote to abolish the Seanad.

"I think if it went to a referendum I think people would vote it down because they don't know what the Senate does. Senators should have gone the road of reform instead of battling us," she said.

She added that she was not impressed by Deputy Kenny's so-called courage and said she believed the budget in December would be a real test of his courage to see if he approved of the difficult decisions that were necessary.

The 2004 report on Seanad reform recommended that 26 senators would be elected under a list PR system to a national constituency at the same time as the local and European elections; six should be elected under PR-STV to a higher education constituency at the same time, with graduates allowed to opt to vote in either the national or the higher education contest; 20 senators should be elected under PR-STV to a national constituency by county councillors and Oireachtas members, within 90 days of a Dáil election; 12 senators, including two from Northern Ireland, should be nominated by the Taoiseach and the outgoing cathaoirleach should be automatically returned.

Mayor of Athlone Mark Cooney (FG) said he agreed that there needed to be reform of both the Dáil and the Seanad, but his preference would always be for the reform of the Seanad rather than the abolition of the upper house.

"I think the university senators have always brought in certain expertise to the Seanad," he said.

He said the Dáil should also be reformed and said certain things, such as planning issues, should remain in the hands of councillors, rather than TDs, who he said are busy with other issues, becoming involved in these matters.

However, newly elected Fine Gael councillor Alan Shaw, who attended the presidential dinner hosted by Enda Kenny on Saturday night, has warmly welcomed the proposal that when Fine Gael is returned to power the new Government will hold a referendum for the abolition of Seanad Éireann.

Cllr Shaw said: "This was the 6th annual dinner hosted by the party leader where he used the opportunity to make firm proposals that would lead to savings of €150m over a five year term of the Dáil."

"These were strong leadership positions taken by Kenny," said Cllr Shaw.

Cllr Gabrielle McFadden, however, said she believed reform was preferable to abolition. Referring to her sister Nicky McFadden, she said she worked very hard as a senator and worked 24/7 on behalf of her constituents.

"I don't know if I would like to see it abolished completely. I would like to see reform, something of an 'elders' council' to act as a watchdog, perhaps. There are very intelligent people in there and I believe we need them to debate issues," she said, adding that the number of senators could be reduced.

Cllr McFadden said she believed her party leader Enda Kenny had shown great leadership and had made a leader's decision and she believed he was right to do so.

Fianna Fáil's Cllr Aengus O'Rourke, also newly elected to the town council, said he believed Deputy Kenny should ask his senators to withdraw their positions if he believed the Seanad should be abolished.

"If he feels they are all irrelevant he should hardly allow them to continue to be a burden to the taxpayer," said Cllr O'Rourke.