Last chance for Seanad to show relevance

The Seanad will this week have what is likely to be its last opportunity before a referendum on its abolition to showcase itself as a relevant and necessary part of democracy as it begins debating legislation this morning allowing abortion in limited circumstances.

Senators will take a secret delight in the Dáil presenting itself in the worst possible light when it debated the legislation last week, and are expected to seize on this as a reason why the lower house cannot be trusted to rule on its own.

A number of senators have already said they would support the abolition if there was proper Dáil reform. But with 5am sittings for votes interspersed with boozing sessions in the bar, “lapgate”, and criticism of the rigid whip system, the case for getting rid of the Seanad based on a more effective Dáil has been diminished.

However, the abortion debate will help their fight to save the Seanad in more ways than that. In a co-ordinated plan, senators last week filibustered a debate on its abolition, in order to ensure their final abortion vote takes place ahead of their final vote on the Bill paving the way for a referendum to scrap the Seanad.

This way, the Government benches will be in a minority when the vote on the Seanad abolition takes place because Fine Gael’s Fidelma Healy Eames and Paul Bradford will have opposed the abortion legislation and lost the whip.

Up to six Fine Gael senators could oppose the Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill, but the Government is confident it will pass — probably with the help of opposition votes.

Fine Gael and Labour have 31 out of the 60 Seanad seats, compared to 28 for Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, Independents, and the Taoiseach’s nominees combined.

When two Fine Gael members, and possibly more, lose the whip over the abortion vote — expected on Monday or Tuesday next week — the Government will have a minority in the house by at least one.

Its weakened position will come into play when the debate shifts to the bill on a referendum to abolish the Seanad. An amendment will be tabled proposing televised committee hearings on the abolition before October’s referendum, where academics, interested parties and voluntary groups would be invited in to discuss the pros and cons.

Provided this amendment is supported by the 11 Independents, it will pass.

In such circumstances the bill has to go back before the Dáil. With the Government committed to a referendum in October, TDs could be called back over the summer holidays to consider the amendment. If the senators’ scheme goes to plan, the Dáil will consider the amendment when it returns in the autumn. In this scenario, the referendum would have to be pushed out beyond the proposed Oct 6 date, with some senators hoping it will not happen until next year.

The Seanad is set to become a far bigger political headache for the Taoiseach than the abortion issue ever threatened to be.