Bruton has ‘no fear’ of debate on the Seanad

Fine Gael referendum director Richard Bruton has said he will engage in a television debate with no campaigners on the future of the Seanad after Taoiseach Enda Kenny rejected calls for a head-to-head discussion.

Mr Bruton played down a warning by the independent referendum commission that there could be doubts over the €20m in savings a year if the upper house is closed, as claimed by the yes side.

With just over 10 days until polling day, both sides are ramping up their campaigns. A weekend poll gave the yes side 60% of support.

Despite calls for Mr Kenny, who is spearheading the campaign to abolish the Seanad, to take part in a television debate, he claims the issues can be discussed in the Dáil chambers.

Mr Bruton said he was willing to take part in a live television debate.

“Everybody knows what Micheál Martin is up to,” said Mr Bruton. “They’re [Fianna Fáil] not running a campaign around the country of any substance and what he’s now saying will someone ‘now hold my coat as I get into the ring and have a go at the Taoiseach’.

“This is not a personality contest, this is a serious issue. This is about getting information out into the hands of voters.”

RTÉ’s Prime Time has issued an invitation to party leaders to take part in a live studio debate.

Mr Bruton added: “I will debate anyone, anywhere, naturally that’s the reality.

“I’m director of this campaign. I’ve no fear of taking on any arguments or any case.”

He said 600,000 leaflets had been circulated by Fine Gael and its social media campaign had reached half a million people. The party yesterday launched a new advertisement in Dublin, saying the Seanad had not delayed the passing of any legislation since 1964.

The Referendum Commission published correspondence with the Oireachtas Commission over the weekend, which questions the yes side’s claim that €20m a year can be saved if the Seanad is closed.

No campaigners say the admission that €20m, relating to running costs as well as senators’ salaries, may not fully translate into savings annually showed the claims were “bogus”.

Mr Bruton denied this and said it was up to the next government to ensure the savings were made.

“We have always said from the very outset that it is up to government to make sure that these savings area realised and it will be through government action that we redeploy those resources to other purposes,” he said.

“We’ve shown in the past where we have rationalised bodies, we have achieved savings. The savings have to be realised by rationalisation and redeployment of resources of the buildings of the staff and that’s a task for government.”