Kenny: Fate of Seanad in hands of the people

The Taoiseach said he felt like he was in “the chamber of the condemned” as he got a frosty reception during his first visit to the Seanad which he plans to abolish.

Enda Kenny came under criticism over plans to hold a referendum on closing the Seanad as he addressed it for the first time as Taoiseach on the topic of Ireland’s EU presidency.

Leader of the House, Fine Gael senator Maurice Cummins, said it would be “remiss” of him not use the opportunity to raise the planned referendum on the abolition of the Seanad.

He said a resolution had been passed calling for the issue to be included in the constitutional convention.

Mr Cummins said there has been a number of “strong additions” to the House recently which bring it “closer to the citizen,” including changed sitting times, debate structures and public consultation committees. Deputy leader, Labour’s Ivana Bacik, added that the Seanad has become a more “effective and dynamic House” this term.

Independent senator and Mr Kenny’s own appointee, Marie Louise O’Donnell, said the Taoiseach “might have a fight on his hands with regard to the closure of the Seanad because I do not think that is going to happen”.

University panel independent TDs were strongest in their calls for the retention of the House, with Ronan Mullen saying: “The Seanad does not mind being on probation, but we do not like being on death row.”

He said: “We recognise that while the checks and balances needed in a democracy often require serious reform, they rarely, if ever, require abolition.”

Mr Mullen said it would have been better if the Taoiseach had addressed the Seanad at an earlier date but many members “harbour the hope or expectation of greeting him again when he is re-elected as Taoiseach”.

The Taoiseach responded that “the fate of the Seanad is in the hands of the people” and told senators “I feel like I’m in the chamber of the condemned here.”

He said Ireland’s reputation in Europe had been “tarnished” in recent years but holding the EU presidency in the first half of next year will be a chance to “give it back its shine”.

The Taoiseach said that while there “has been talk about burning senior bondholders and there was talk of it at the eurogroup meeting, there certainly was not agreement on it.”

He said: “That position is still evolving.”