Reject attempt to abolish Seanad

Isn’t there something deeply dispiriting about the spectacle of our Taoiseach and some of his senior ministers cantering around the country this September, campaigning for votes, to abolish the Seanad and spending €20m of our money to fund this campaign? No matter what the outcome of the voting will be, this Seanad will serve out its full term of office until 2016.

No saving will accrue until late into 2016. Could this Government not think of anything more urgent to do with €20m this September? Have senior ministers anything better to do with their time? This is a tough autumn for thousands of families up and down the country. Anguished parents of children with disabilities are filled with fear for the future of their children.

Some children are coming to school hungry and too many of our brainiest and brightest are leaving the country looking for jobs. Our most frail and feeble can’t get an extra hour’s home help or access to carers. Thousands of us voted a Fianna Fáil-led government out of office, and did so emphatically, two and a half years ago, partly because they had become totally out of touch.