Sir, – I’m delighted to note that some sanity may now be brought into the debate on the future of the Seanad with the news that Kieran Mulvey is the public face of a group supporting the demise of the Upper House. The Coalition’s pre-election promises, probably supported by the vast majority of voters, called for the abolition of the Seanad and a substantial reduction in the number of Dáil deputies. Predictably, once in office, the new Government reduced Dáil numbers by just a handful.
Every important Government decision affecting the taxpayer since the Governmeant was elected, has been qualified by the statement “We have to do this because the Troika insists!” So the Irish Government is in effect a sort of European Union county council, with very little influence over important issues.
Before the bailout we didn’t need a Seanad to oversee the Dáil, so why, oh why, would we want one now? If we voters do a U-turn this time it really will be seen as an Irish “omnishambles”! – Yours, etc,
AIDAN DEVON,
Hillcourt Road,
Glenageary,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – It seems strange that the “One House” group, which favours abolition of the Seanad, should nominate Kieran Mulvey as its main spokesman.
As Chairman of the Labour Relations Commission, Mr Mulvey has a salary of €176,000, which is almost three times the salary of a Senator.
He can hardly be the most convincing person to complain about the Seanad costing us too much. – Yours, etc,
THOMAS RYAN,
Mount Tallant Avenue,
Harolds Cross, Dublin 6W.