Calls For Seanad Reform To Be Ambitious And Comprehensive
There has been a call for reform of the Seanad to be both ambitious and comprehensive.
The Supreme Court found yesterday that university electoral panels for Seanad Éireann are unconstitutional.
It also stated the Oireachtas must legislate to allow graduates of third-level institutions other than the National University of Ireland and Trinity College Dublin to vote.
Senator Alice-Mary Higgins outlines what sort of reform is needed:
“To make sure that every citizen of Ireland has a say in the Seanad, has a vote in the Seanad. That means implementing the 1979 Referendum, but also reflecting the 2013 referendum when the public voted to say they valued the Seanad and they want a say in it. So any minimalist approach to legislating on this issue is not going to be true to either of those referendum”.
Vincent Carroll On 28th April 2023 at 3:40 pm
Waiting 44 years to implement the decision of the electorate to allow graduates other than those of Trinity and NUI to vote in Seanad elections is a disgrace and and an insult to the Irish electorate. The Irish Supreme Court has now declared this to be illegal. Does this mean that all Seanad elections over the past forty years are null and void, if so all current Senators should resign.