Coalition’s senators side with opposition over Seanad

The Government has been left red-faced after seeing some of its senators siding with an opposition motion on Seanad reform.

Fianna Fáil tabled a surprise motion yesterday calling for the Government to include the issue of Seanad reform in the Constitutional Convention.

The Government does not want to do this and instead pledged to hold a referendum proposing the Seanad’s abolition.

Numerous senators within the Coalition are unhappy at the Government proposal and that anger rose to the surface yesterday.

Three Labour senators sided with the motion, as did several of the 11 senators nominated directly by Taoiseach Enda Kenny to the Seanad.

Their support allowed for the motion to be passed by a 26-22 margin.

The development illustrates the difficulty the Government will have in convincing its own senators to canvass for the abolition of the Seanad when the referendum is held.

It also seems likely that most of Mr Kenny’s nominees to the Seanad will fight its abolition.

The decision by three Labour senators to break the party whip would ordinarily result in disciplinary action.

But two other Labour senators told the Irish Examiner they did not see any grounds for such action.

They cited assurances by Tánaiste and Labour leader Eamon Gilmore at a private meeting with all the party’s senators in recent months.

The two senators said Mr Gilmore gave an assurance that, when it came to votes on the sole issue of the Seanad’s future, Labour would allow a free vote and not impose the whip.

However, Labour’s leader in the Seanad, Ivana Bacik, said that was not her re-collection of the meeting.

“I’m not going to comment on a meeting with the Tánaiste. It was a private meeting. But I certainly don’t agree with that interpretation,” she said.

Seanad leader Maurice Cummins (FG) insisted the reform issue would not form part of the Constitutional Convention, regardless of yesterday’s vote.

“The Government’s position on the matter is clear: A referendum on the future of Seanad Éireann will, more than likely, be held during the latter half of next year. The Government does not intend to refer the matter of Seanad reform to the Constitutional Convention.”