I was a senator for 22 years. Roughly Half as a left of centre independent, half with Lab P. Seanad of course needs reform. But if the three big political parties wanted it could always have been a vibrant institution. Evidence? The activities of the small number of non party senators. They included Mary Robinson, Catherine McGuinness, Ken Whitaker David Norris and many others, myself included. They
raised, and forced govt to confront, issues govt
wanted to ignore like adoption, contraception,
equality, divorce, the status of Northern Ireland, and
in my own case homelessness and social exclusion.
Party senators were overwhelmingly focused on getting into the Dail. Legislative and policy initiatives were of no interest to most. They wanted to be at home working to get Dail votes for themselves. They epitomised what was wrong but we’re happy to be salaried politicians aiming for the Dail. Their parties shared that view. It was cynical in the extreme and sadly my own party, Labour, was perhaps the most cynical. It rarely gave it’s electorate, Labour Councillors and TDs, any choice. They were told how to vote for. All candidates were aspiring or unsuccessful TDs.
Our parliament is totally subservient to government. TDs and senators are there to rubberstamp government and will be penalised if they challenge not to mention vote against.
The Dail is even more subservient than the Seanad because the Seanad, all through its history, has been a limited but real voice of dissent. That v goes back as far at least as the banning of the Tailor and Ansty and the excising of extracts from that allegedly obscene book from the official record!
This government is abolishing town councils, bringing planning even more under bureaucratic control, and taking water services away from local authorities. It has abolished elections to Udaras na Gaeltachta as well.
If they get rid of the Seanad one more institution through which arbitrary power can be challenged.
The Seanad needs reform. Even unreformed it serves a very useful purpose for those who want to challenge and question power. Sadly the vast majority of our political party senators have neither the time, the interest or the freedom to challenge
anything. And if they did challenge they’d be punished.