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Sunday 1 October 2023 Dublin: 18°C

# Seanad reform

This year
2023
Government has two years to expand Seanad electorate, Supreme Court rules
The current electoral system, which excludes many unviersities, was deemed unconstitutional earlier this year.
All time
Taoiseach says electing people from Northern Ireland will give the Seanad an 'all-island dimension'
Varadkar made the comment as he announced that a new committee on Seanad reform is to be set up.
Trivialities of the 'reformed' Seanad: 'Senators talking about All-Ireland tickets and seagulls'
Voters chose by a narrow margin in a referendum in 2013 to retain the Seanad. It’s unlikely they are happy with that decision, writes Senator Gerard P Craughwell.
Poll: Should the Seanad have been scrapped?
The Taoiseach’s nominees to the upper house will be announced today.
What does it mean to be a republican in 2016? We asked this Sinn Féin senator
Fintan Warfield thinks ‘you don’t have to be a Shinner to be a republican’.
The government won't be doing any Seanad reform after all
Proposals to expand the electorate will not be implemented before the election.
Look at how incredibly complicated it is to elect Senators...
Our minds are blown. Our heads hurt.
Check out these VERY radical proposals to reform the Seanad
The Seanad Working Group on Reform has published a report calling for overhaul of the upper house.
Over a year after the Seanad referendum, there will be reforms
A working group will report back to the government by March.
Minister nominated for 'brass neck of the year' as TDs row about Seanad reform
Fianna Fáil’s proposal to overhaul the upper house will be opposed by the government.
Seanad reform, wind energy and Irish prisoners in the UK
Everything happening in Leinster House today.
Here's why the government could lose more Seanad votes in the coming months
A wafer-thin majority and ‘the three amigos’ could all spell trouble for the coalition…
Government beaten as senators vote to ban upward only rent reviews
There was applause in the chamber, but not from Fine Gael or Labour senators.
Plan to increase Seanad voters by 650,000 published
Minister Phil Hogan said that the expansion is overdue.
Senator admits his two-day week 'gives the impression the Seanad is full of dossers'
Earlier, the Taoiseach promised that senators will get more work once legislation to give all third-level graduates a vote in Seanad elections is passed. The upper house is sitting for just a day-and-a-half this week.
Fianna Fáil: Our Seanad bill is 'fundamental reform that people deserve'
The party has published a bill to reform the upper house within the constraints of the current Constitution.
Taoiseach rules out giving voting rights to all in Seanad elections
Enda Kenny has said the upper house can have greater powers of scrutiny but he does not intend to introduce universal suffrage for elections to the Seanad.
All third-level graduates to get vote as part of Seanad reforms agreed by Cabinet
The government has not as yet considered any further reforms to the Seanad.
Broad reform needed to make Seanad 'fit for modern Ireland', says Coveney
The Agriculture Minister welcomed reports that voting rights are to be extended to more graduates, but believes more ‘fundamental’ reform is needed.
Five-day weekend: The Seanad sat for just two days this week... again
It’s the second time in six weeks that the Seanad has wrapped up its business for the week on a Wednesday.
Enda Kenny tells the Seanad: ‘I come in peace, not in war’
“Well, I come in peace, not in war,” Kenny told members in the upper house this afternoon.
'They'd do an excellent job': MEP says senators should scrutinise EU legislation
What to do with senators now they’re saved? Seán Kelly has an idea…
Five-day weekend: The Seanad sat for just two days this week
The uncertainty over the future of the upper house meant that there wasn’t much business organised for this week.
Column: Enda Kenny should seize this moment to overturn political malaise
With the onset of the crisis five years ago, the malaise in our political system came to the surface; now, thanks in part to the Seand referendum, it is bubbling over, writes Colin Murphy.
Kenny: I've a busy schedule but I'll talk about Seanad reform as soon as I can
The Taoiseach has proposed all-party talks involving leaders in the Dáil and Seanad on what to do with the upper house.
"No bloody hope will I work for nothing" - David Norris
On the first day back after the referendum result, David Norris has already hit out at the idea that senators should not be paid.
Everyone's talking about reforming the Seanad, but how could we do it?
The Quinn-Zappone bill is being talked about a lot right now. But what’s in it? We take a look…
Adams 'rejects' efforts to make brother's conviction 'a party political issue'
The Sinn Féin president was asked about his brother Liam, the Seanad referendum and his own future in an interview this morning.
Column: The Seanad 'No' vote was the first step towards political reform
Some cynics claim that the government will do nothing about the Seanad now, but they are ignoring the reality that 93 per cent of the people oppose the status quo, writes Larry Donnelly.
Reform Alliance seeks debate and wants directly elected Seanad
One of their members Denis Naughten TD also says that “there might have been a different result on Saturday had the Dáil had been reformed first.”
Another referendum may be needed as part of Seanad reform process --- Howlin
The Minister says certain changes could be brought about under the existing constitution, but that more sweeping reforms may need another vote.
‘Reflection’ the buzz word but Taoiseach and Tánaiste appear open to Seanad reform
The government must now decide what it plans to do with the retained upper house.
Column: The Seanad gives a false comfort to those seeking proper checks and balances
Some might argue that a bad Seanad is better than no Seanad – but having a “bad” Seanad is far worse, inspiring only cynicism and harming the political process, writes Ale White TD.
Column: This not the time for a cynical power grab – the Seanad must be retained
In pushing for Seanad abolition, the government is trying to strip a layer of democracy designed to give fundamental protections to citizens, writes Niall Collins TD.
"Recall makes Seanad survival a reality" - O'Sullivan
The recall to debate transplant legislation shows the role that a reformed Seanad could have says a Fianna Fáil senator.
Support for Seanad abolition is down 3 per cent but still ahead in latest poll
Support for the plan to get rid of the Seanad is down, but is still 13 points ahead in the poll.
Bruton: I have no problem debating anyone on the Seanad abolition
In an interview with TheJournal.ie, Bruton called for politicians not to “reduce to name-calling” as the campaign ramps up.
Enda Kenny: 'Genuine Seanad reform would be almost impossible to achieve'
The Taoiseach told senators today that abolishing the upper house is the biggest package of reform since the passing of the Constitution in 1937.
Column: The party whip system is far too rigid – and it's offensive to democratic ideals
I have a lot of time for the Taoiseach, but his leadership has been autocratic and even authoritarian in a representative democracy and I find this unsettling, writes Larry Donnelly.
Column: Seanad reform suggestions are practical but limit real bicameral change
While there are practical arguments for a bill that requires no constitutional change, it limits any reform across the whole legislative body, writes Eoin O’Malley.