THE GOVERNMENT is to consider holding a referendum on the abolition of the Seanad to be held on the same day as the general election.
Minister for Defence Tony Killeen confirmed yesterday that the future of the Seanad will be discussed at the first Cabinet meeting of the new year this week with a strong mood at senior levels in Government for the question to be put to the people on the day of the election.
Yesterday’s comments by Mr Killeen represented the first public acknowledgment by Fianna Fáil that it would not be opposed to abolition. The party has previously supported limited reform of the institution.
Mr Killeen said that as Fine Gael and Labour have called for the abolition of the Seanad, the Government should now consider holding a referendum on its future. The referendum, he said, should take place in March, in tandem with polling for the general election.
“There does seem to be a public appetite for reform,” said Mr Killeen, “and we need to facilitate it. I know that the good intentions of Opposition parties to change things often don’t materialise in government. That is because other priorities get in the way. Holding it on election day would be the only way to ensure it would happen without distractions.”
Sources from Fianna Fáil and the Green Party said the issue has been discussed by both parties since early December and that senior Government figures, including Taoiseach Brian Cowen, were favourably disposed to the idea. Talks have taken place between Mr Killeen and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin for Fianna Fáil and Green Party leader John Gormley.
Mr Killeen said it would be possible to get the necessary legislation to enable the referendum through both Houses of the Oireachtas, though he accepted it would be complicated. “The timescale would comfortably allow it to be done in tandem with the Finance Bill and other legislation,” he said.
Mr Killeen denied the Government was engaged in spoiling tactics to regain support from the Opposition on the issue of political reform, which research has shown is an important one for the electorate.
“I’m not questioning the bona fides of people committing to reform. The reality is that it does not happen once [parties] get into government as other matters get in the way.
“If it were to happen, the only realistic way it can happen is if a referendum is held on the same day as the election,” he said.
A Green source said last night that Mr Gormley was very receptive to the idea. “He is also keen on reducing Dáil numbers,” said the source. Fianna Fáil said last night that there was little appetite within the party for reducing Dáil numbers.
A Fine Gael spokesman accused the Government of attempting to seize the initiative from party leader Enda Kenny, whom he said was most closely associated with calls to abolish the Seanad. “We look forward to any concrete proposal on political reform from a Government which has to date failed to address the issue,” said the spokesman.
The Labour Party, which also wants the Seanad to be scrapped, said it was another attempt by the Government to delay the election.
Its spokesman said legislation for the referendum would be complicated. He said it was a requirement under law that the Bill be enacted at least 30 days before the holding of the referendum. That would not be possible within the timeframe.
Some 12 reports on Seanad reform have been published since 1928. None have been implemented. The most recent, by an all-party group chaired by Fianna Fáil’s Mary O’Rourke, was published almost seven years ago.