Bruton: Senate 'a watchdog that only barks once every 50 years'

Fine Gael is launching a national campaign of meetings in its plan to scrap the Seanad.

Town Hall-style meetings are to be held around the country between now and polling day on October 4.

Director of Elections Richard Bruton said the party knows it has to convince people, but he said the fact the Seanad hasn't blocked legislation since 1964 is good reason for its abolition.

He said: "That argument has to be won and it will be won on the basis of the facts of the situation.

"As a watchdog, the Seanate hasn't blocked any piece of Government legislation since 1964, so a watchdog that only barks once every 50 years is not an effective watchdog."

The meetings are to be held in Cork, Limerick, Waterford, Galway, Meath, Louth, Tipperary and several in Dublin.

No dates have been decided, except for Dublin Bay North, which is on tomorrow night.