# Political Reform

All time

# Your Say

Poll: Should the Seanad be saved, abolished or reformed?

The Seanad turns 90 today. Should it be put out to pasture, given a new lease of life, or left as it is?

9.7k

101

Dec 11th 2012, 9:49 AM

Voices

Column: Real reform is being overlooked in the deficit scramble

There was broad consensus that our political system needed major change, writes David McCann – but that now seems largely forgotten.

Dec 6th 2012, 7:00 AM

# Seanad Abolition

Seanad abolition: Where do the parties stand?

The government has committed to abolishing the upper house but where do the parties stand on whether it should stay or go? We asked them and here is what they told us…

5.2k

Oct 28th 2012, 8:00 AM

# MacGill

Kenny promises new political corruption laws, with up to 10-year jail terms

The Taoiseach says the government has accepted a Mahon recommendation to legislate against political corruption.

4.6k

Jul 23rd 2012, 6:45 PM

# Your Say

Poll: Should the Seanad be abolished?

Six former senators have said that the upper house of the Oireachtas should be reformed instead of abolished as the government wants to do. But what do you think?

6.7k

Jul 23rd 2012, 10:06 AM

# Seanad

Former members call for Seanad to be reformed instead of abolished

A letter in today’s Irish Times calls for the upper house to be saved as the government looks to hold a referendum on abolishing it next year.

2.7k

Jul 23rd 2012, 9:24 AM

# Dáil Reform

TGIF: How have the Dáil’s Friday sittings worked out?

As we approach the end of another Dáil term, we’ve been asking the government and the opposition how the much-vaunted sittings of the Dáil on the first Friday of every month have been working out.

3.1k

Jul 14th 2012, 8:15 AM

Voices

Column: Ireland doesn't need a new political party, it needs a new politics

The intentions of those launching a new political party may be good but Ireland needs to look beyond the ballot box, argues Aidan Rowe.

197

Jul 10th 2012, 8:30 PM

Voices

Column: Ireland needs a new political party and here’s how we do it

Ireland has reached a point where the current political establishment is not serving the interests of the people, argues Martin Critten who intends to form a new party with a Citizens’ Charter.

101

Jul 9th 2012, 7:00 AM

Voices

Column: Getting a new driver isn’t enough – this country needs repairs

We may have a different government. But without serious political reform we’re headed for another crisis, writes Oliver Moran.

Jul 1st 2012, 8:30 AM

# rebellion

Three Labour senators break ranks over plan to scrap Seanad

The three senators are now likely to be kicked out of the Labour Parliamentary Party after supporting an opposition motion.

4.2k

Jun 20th 2012, 4:46 PM

# Political Reform

Overhaul sees number of Oireachtas committees increased

The Programme for Government included a pledge to reduce committee numbers – but the survivors had too much work.

2.2k

Jun 19th 2012, 3:05 PM

# One Year In

TheJournal.ie’s progress report for the Government: Political reform

The government has promised major political reform – but has it fulfilled its promises, one year in?

447

Mar 9th 2012, 2:00 AM

# One Year In

TheJournal.ie’s progress report for the Government: Constitutional reform

Political reform was a hot topic in the election that saw Fine Gael and Labour take power. So what’s happened since?

488

Mar 9th 2012, 2:00 AM

Voices

Column: Politicians can’t fix Ireland – ordinary people must take the lead

The financial crisis was sparked by a broken system. If we’re going to fix this we can’t leave it up to politicians, write Bronagh Geraghty and John Hughes.

Feb 19th 2012, 6:00 PM

# Political Reform

Halve the size of the Dáil, says Bertie Ahern

The former taoiseach says the Dáil should be composed of 70 to 80 TDs, elected from single seat-constituencies.

5.2k

Feb 11th 2012, 3:09 PM

Voices

Column: Abolish the Seanad? Here's a better idea to fix our political system

Parish-pump politics is crippling our democracy – so Simon Tuohy offers a radical new proposal to fix the system.

182

Jan 11th 2012, 7:30 AM

# Dáil Reform

Dáil votes to give itself more work... after seven weeks' holidays

When the Dáil returns on September 14 it will begin work earlier and sit for longer hours under a reformed system.

593

Jul 22nd 2011, 5:22 PM

# Political Reform

Size matters for Oireachtas, as more members squeeze into fewer committees

The number of committees will be slimmed down from 27 to 14, as details of the new Oireachtas committees are confirmed.

838

Jun 9th 2011, 12:54 PM

# political funding

Government unveils details of plans for political funding reform

The new measures include details of gender quotas as well as new lower limits on the donations that parties can accept.

390

May 31st 2011, 3:23 PM

# Seanad Éireann

First meeting for possibly the last ever Seanad

The 24th Seanad convenes for the first time today, amid government plans to scrap the upper house of the Oireachtas for good.

322

May 25th 2011, 8:06 AM

# Donations

Fianna Fáil proposes referendum on political donations rights

Fianna Fáil will tonight table a Bill moving a referendum so that people without voting rights cannot donate or campaign.

509

May 10th 2011, 6:43 PM

# Political Reform

Government unveils plans to reduce number of TDs

The next Constituency Commission will be told to provide for a reduced number – reducing the Dáil by about a dozen.

1.3k

May 4th 2011, 1:14 PM

# GE11

Which would you do: shrink the Dáil, or scrap the Seanad?

All parties seem to be agreed that there’s too many politicians. Where would you cut them from – Dáil or Seanad?

2.5k

Feb 17th 2011, 10:19 PM

# Daily Fix

Daily Fix: Monday

The highs and lows of today’s campaign trail: The manifestos of the three biggest political parties are unveiled, Dylan Haskins is caught between a rock and a hard place, and Éamon Ó Cuiv is all tuckered out.

2.8k

Feb 7th 2011, 7:53 PM