Seanad ban would be Dáil calling kettle black

Dáil Éireann is as much a retirement home for politicians as is the Seanad.

We have too many wallpaper politicians in the Dáil; they are there for too long. Cork North Fine Gael TD, Liam Burke was asked not to run after the 2002 election, as he had been there for 30 years.

Familiar surnames such as Burton, Bruton, Gilmore, Rabbitte, Shatter, Howlin have for years been ‘holding the fort’ and watching it rot around them.

There should be a referendum to reduce the number of TDs and senators, who spend much of their lives sleeping on the back benches, absent, disinterested, or telling lies. If the Seanad was elected, then it might work. The Government has again resorted to the last resort — if you cannot reform something, abolish it. The fact that the Dáil wants to abolish the Seanad is the pot calling the kettle black.

Maurice Fitzgerald

Shanbally

Co Cork