Voting starts on referendums

Ireland votes today on whether to abolish the country’s upper house of parliament.

Latest opinion polls suggest a majority of voters will back Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s call to get rid of the Seanad, or Senate, in an historic move that would hand power exclusively to the Dáil.

A poll in the Irish Times on Monday put the Yes vote – in favour of abolition - at 62%, with 38% backing the retention of the upper house, after excluding those who were undecided.

But more than a fifth of the electorate were still undecided at the start of the week, while another 8% said they did not intend to go to the ballot box.

Mr Kenny has claimed abolition would create a leaner, more effective and more accountable system.

Opponents, led by the largest opposition party Fianna Fáil, say the Seanad is necessary to serve as a government watchdog and to hold the ruling Cabinet ministers to account.

The Oireachtas is currently made up of the lower house, the Dáil, from which government operates, and the upper house, the Seanad - home to 60 senators.

Results in the referendum are expected by around mid-day on Saturday.

Voters are also being asked on whether the State should set up a Court of Appeal.

Fine Gael, Labour, Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin have all called for a Yes in the vote – which could see more basic appeals from the High Court go to the Court of Appeal as opposed to the Supreme Court.