Senate promise - A welcome proposal

LET us hope that there is more than opportunistic populism to the weekend announcement from Fine Gael that, if elected, the party would hold a referendum on abolishing the Senate within 12 months.

Enda Kenny also said Fine Gael would cut the number of Dáil deputies and facilitate the election of experts from outside of politics.

It would be more reassuring if Mr Kenny argued that we should abolish the Senate because it was a pointless, self-important talking shop rather than an institution we can no longer afford. Nevertheless, any move to close down this anachronism is to be welcomed.