If the electorate decides to vote down the proposal in the upcoming Seanad referendum, will Enda Kenny and Eamon Gilmore give us a second chance to get it ‘right’ by holding another referendum.

The forthcoming referendum on the abolition of the Seanad illustrates Ireland’s insidious politics.

The words ‘with respect’ and ‘everybody has a right to their own opinion’ always muffle the sound of serious anger, as they did in Colm Shevlin’s letter (Jun 8).

Opponents of abolition say the Seanad is necessary and should be reformed. But where is the guarantee that promised reform will materialise after a ‘no’ vote?

Prof John Crown, speaking about the Seanad referendum, on Newstalk’s Lunchtime show (Jun 6) referred to members of the Vintners Federation of Ireland as ‘drug dealers’.

To be fair, we should all acknowledge that the Seanad has given us such people as Mary Robinson, Donie Cassidy, Christy Kirwan and David Norris.

Ireland has, indeed, been exposed as a brazen tax haven, given the recent Apple scandal, despite having been bailed out with billions by the IMF and leaving investors, foreign and domestic, high and dry.

Matt Cooper’s claim (Opinion, Jun 7) that “We have plenty of talking shops, but the lawmaking impact of the Seanad has been minimal” is only half right.

I was at Ruairi Ó Bradaigh’s funeral ceremony at the Sacred Heart Church in Roscommon.

It was with much disgust that I read about the re-building of Cork Prison last week. Minister Alan Shatter is ignoring the complaints of 163 locals and the project is to go ahead, despite the fact that Kilworth would have been a much better option.