Taoiseach must convince party on referendum

The Taoiseach said he hopes the referendum to abolish the Seanad will be “carried strongly”, as it became clear that he faces an uphill battle to convince his own parliamentary party to weigh in behind his proposition.

Many TDs and senators who gathered at the party’s conference in Laois yesterday privately expressed a lack of support or enthusiasm to canvass for Enda Kenny’s campaign for a yes vote in the referendum to shut the Upper House on Oct 4.

The party’s leader in the Seanad, Maurice Cummins, revealed that he would be voting no, and yesterday one of his colleagues said he will not be the only one, adding: “I don’t know a single senator who will vote yes, and hardly any TDs who will either.”