Seanad reform group to report to Government by March

A new group established by Taoiseach Enda Kenny to examine proposals for Seanad reform is to report back to the Government by March.

The membership of the group has been formally announced and it will be chaired by former Fine Gael senator Maurice Manning.

It also includes Mary O'Rourke, Pat Magner and Maurice Hayes, former members of the Upper House on the Fianna Fáil, Labour and Independent benches respectively. The remaining members are Tom Arnold, who chaired the Constitutional Convention, Dr Mary Murphy, a politics lecturer in University College Cork and Elaine Byrne, a commentator and author on public policy.

The working group has been tasked with coming up with ideas for Seanad reform which would not require a constitutional referendum.

A Government statement said the group will “examine submissions and proposals for reform which have already been made and will also look at the role of a reformed Seanad within the political process, the powers and functions of a reformed Seanad” and other relevant issues.

It will also be entitled to receive new proposals if needed and will report back to the Government by the end of March 2015.