Proposals for reform of Seanad face opposition and delays by senators

Proposals to reform the Seanad and significantly widen the election process for the upper house are expected to be opposed or delayed by senators.

Under the plans, Irish passport-holders here and abroad could vote in a new election process which would ultimately be paid for by senators themselves.

Independent Senator John Crown will bring the radical proposals to reform the upper house before his colleagues tomorrow. This is despite a commitment by the Government to hold a referendum on abolishing the Seanad this coming autumn.

Under the proposals, Irish citizens here and abroad could vote for senators. This would significantly widen the current method of electing senators which is mainly limited to university and elected representative votes.

The new system would see Seanad elections held in parallel with Dáil elections and any extra costs would be deducted from the expenses of political parties or senators, said Prof Crown. Anyone could run once they collected 1,000 signatures.

“I am putting forward this bill because it is something I said I would do.

“I am putting it forward now, because this is the last opportunity I will have before what is likely to be a referendum of the future of the Seanad in September,” Prof Crown said.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has committed to holding a referendum to scrap the Seanad later this year and said he will actively campaign for its abolition. The Government is also expected to hold referendums on reforming the court system and changes in the patent law.

However, senators last night indicated they would oppose or try and frustrate this week’s bill to reform the Seanad.

Labour senators have been warned by their party’s leadership that any support for reform will see immediate expulsion from the party. Fine Gael senators are equally expected to frustrate or delay the move, say party sources.

A number of fellow senators also indicated last night that they would not support the bill, despite it then looking like they were “turkeys voting for Christmas”.

One senator criticised Prof Crown’s plans: “He’s talking about an administrative [election] facility that you wouldn’t get on the moon. It’s lunacy. People living abroad would have no idea what the Seanad does.”