Coalition’s anti-Seanad campaign ‘dishonest’

Campaigning in the referendum on the abolition of the Seanad has kicked off in earnest, with parties on both sides accusing the other of misrepresenting the facts in support of their stance.

Fianna Fáil, which wants to preserve the Seanad, accused the Government, which wants to scrap it, of lying about the amount of money that would be saved by getting rid of the 60 senators. Fianna Fáil says just over €8m a year would be saved, while the Government has put the figure at €20m.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin used his speech at the annual commemoration of IRA leader Liam Lynch to challenge the logic behind the referendum and argue for reform rather than abolition.