Voting to reform Seanad Eireann

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ARTHUR GRIFFIN, vice president of Fianna Fail joins Ger Leddin to discuss the proposed abolition of Seanad Eireann. Arthur speaks of the parties support for the reform of the Seanad and suggests that the current government’s plan is an attempt at a “Power grab”. They discuss the prominence of a call for Dail reform. Arthur speaks of the people of New Zealand’s 1957 situation which saw a similar situation where they abolished the upper house on promise of reform of the lower house, only for the lower house to remaining unchanged.

Arthur speaks of the government of the time being a “four person” government and suggests some ways that he would envisage positive changes to the Dail, including a change to the election process and more representative panels for the selection process.

Arthur speaks of some reasons that the Fianna Fail government did not abolish or reform the system while they were in power in the previous government term. Arthur proposes that a No vote to the abolition of the Seanad will leave the government no option but to bring about reform.

 

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