Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

The Seanad Chamber Wikimedia Commons via Wikipedia

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.

SUPPORT FOR ABOLISHING the Seanad is down according to a new Paddy Power/RedC poll.

Just under half, 49 per cent, of decided voters said that they would support the abolition of the Seanad, down 3 per cent on the last poll in June.

The numbers of voters who would vote to save the Seanad has climbed 2 per cent, with 36 per cent now supporting the retention of the Seanad. That leaves a considerable amount of undecided voters, 15 per cent.

Removing those who are undecided gives support to abolishing the Seanad a 16-point lead with 58 per cent in support and 42 per cent against. The number of undecided voters is in decline, but decided voters are more likely to vote.

The poll also shows strong support for abolition in both Connacht and Ulster, with 67 percent of likely voters in those regions supporting abolition, but in the capital voters are split right down the middle.

Supporters of both Sinn Féin and Fine Gael are also most likely to vote in favour of scrapping the Seanad, with 67 per cent of Sinn Féin voters and 63 per cent of Fine Gael voters likely to vote to abolish.

Read: The Seanad is coming back on 20 August to debate transplant legislation

Read: Support for Fine Gael holding up in latest Red C poll, slight drop for Labour

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
27 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean Linda Conlon
    Favourite Sean Linda Conlon
    Report
    Aug 9th 2013, 12:18 PM

    58% of voters in favor of giving absolute power to a lower house in a democracy, have the pollsters got the shites or heartburn ?

    66
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Little Jim
    Favourite Little Jim
    Report
    Aug 9th 2013, 1:06 PM

    Yes, because we need the seanads power.
    The power of delaying!

    35
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean Linda Conlon
    Favourite Sean Linda Conlon
    Report
    Aug 9th 2013, 1:22 PM

    I think you’ll find in a true democracy an upper house’s role is to test and prove the veracity of bills presented to it.

    26
    See 10 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean Linda Conlon
    Favourite Sean Linda Conlon
    Report
    Aug 9th 2013, 1:26 PM

    And can I add if its all about the cost to taxpayers there are cheaper forms of Government which are very popular in the third world…they’re called dictatorships.

    23
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Reg
    Favourite Reg
    Report
    Aug 9th 2013, 1:34 PM

    That may be true in some countries Sean but in Ireland they just repeat the same debate and it goes through anyway. Time to get rid.

    35
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Little Jim
    Favourite Little Jim
    Report
    Aug 9th 2013, 1:41 PM

    Wait, hang on, hold up there.
    Oh, go ahead.
    We have an illusion of democracy here.
    It’s a mockery.
    Get rid of it so we can see what’s really going on.

    23
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean Linda Conlon
    Favourite Sean Linda Conlon
    Report
    Aug 9th 2013, 1:54 PM

    It’s true in every real democracy. I’ve got no issue with the Senate being abolished, provided voters know what they’re signing off on, but I’m not sure they do. I think their anger is being exploited into giving absolute power to the politicians. Giving absolute power to a lower house has never worked in democracy.

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Reg
    Favourite Reg
    Report
    Aug 9th 2013, 2:00 PM

    Well I am very aware of the waste of time the Seanad is Sean, they more than proved it during the recent debate on the abortion legislation. I’ll be voting to abolish.

    21
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean Linda Conlon
    Favourite Sean Linda Conlon
    Report
    Aug 9th 2013, 2:04 PM

    If that’s an informed rather than an emotive decision I respect it, but you’ve not put forward a credible argument so I’m in some doubt

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Reg
    Favourite Reg
    Report
    Aug 9th 2013, 2:12 PM

    Did you follow the debate in the Seanad? The standard was generally poor and much of it didn’t relate to the legislation proposed. It was also largely repetitive of the debate that had taken place in the Dail and various committees.

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Little Jim
    Favourite Little Jim
    Report
    Aug 9th 2013, 2:12 PM

    Sean, it’s an illusion, there is no power there.
    It is useless.
    Have you looked up the seanads powers and history of wielding this power?

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Bramley Hawthorne
    Favourite Bramley Hawthorne
    Report
    Aug 9th 2013, 5:41 PM

    No. It’s about a thing called democracy. The Seanad is an unelected house of appointees – a debating society for failed and aspiring politcians, paid for by the taxpayers who don’t even get a vote. That’s why it is being scrapped.

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Aodhan O Cuana
    Favourite Aodhan O Cuana
    Report
    Aug 9th 2013, 9:14 PM

    If we look at this rationally; the Seanad needs to be reformed full stop but to abolish it when the following is argued;

    No need for two chambers cause other countries of a similar size have one chamber! Yet in those countries the local authorities have more powers, are funded through progressive local property taxes and make decisive decisions! If you feel where you are that the local Government and the taxes you pay are meeting this standard. Then yes the Seanad should go!

    Seanad is full of useless career politicians! Probably but when you look at a reformed Seanad, removal of the whip structure that currently holds back any progressive partisan politics! Abolishing the Seanad will not offer any more a progressive Government structure!

    The Seanad is not the issues, it’s not a financial drain and the referendum is designed to distract you from the economic hardship the 4 man panel, dictated to by IMF/Trioka have in store for us with a possible 1% extra in cuts that will impact on women, children and the disabled!

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Martin O Donnell
    Favourite Martin O Donnell
    Report
    Aug 9th 2013, 12:23 PM

    It does seem unreal but then the government propaganda machine is in full flow about this and if people were properly educated about the seanad they would not abolish it

    51
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John McG
    Favourite John McG
    Report
    Aug 9th 2013, 1:46 PM

    You can only judge something on its actions and what it has done. The Seanad has done little to warrant its continuing existence. You may educate yourself on what the Seanad should be but that is miles away from what we have. It can only truly be judged on its passed record.

    24
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Fergal Reid
    Favourite Fergal Reid
    Report
    Aug 9th 2013, 12:46 PM

    I’ll be voting in favour of the referendum because the Seanad is an abject, useless lump of a chamber and other countries our size seem to survive just fine without one. THAT SAID, this proposal to abolish it is going to fail. Hopefully it doesn’t drag the Court of Appeals down with it.

    27
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul Clancy
    Favourite Paul Clancy
    Report
    Aug 9th 2013, 12:55 PM

    What’s that about the Court of Appeals?

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean Linda Conlon
    Favourite Sean Linda Conlon
    Report
    Aug 9th 2013, 1:07 PM

    So your voting in favor of an Oligarchy

    17
    See 5 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Fergal Reid
    Favourite Fergal Reid
    Report
    Aug 9th 2013, 1:12 PM

    Here you, Paul. The judiciary need a new court of appeals to speed up court cases.
    http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/oireachtas/warning-that-public-will-be-unaware-of-second-referendum-on-a-court-of-appeal-1.1474117

    Sean… I’ve no idea how voting to get rid of an unelected chamber can be construed as voting *in favour* of an oligarchy.

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Richard Keogh
    Favourite Richard Keogh
    Report
    Aug 9th 2013, 2:17 PM

    Except it isn’t an unelected chamber. Yes the franchise may not extend to everyone at the moment but most senators are elected by one method or another. Get rid of the Taoiseach’s nominees, open up the voting on thosse to everyone and ban the whips from operating in there and we would have better governance. Reform isnt on the agenda because the government want rid but if its gone we can never get it back.

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brian Houlihan
    Favourite Brian Houlihan
    Report
    Aug 9th 2013, 3:28 PM

    Countries with one chamber tend to have strong local and regional governments. In Denmark and other places a huge percentage of government spending is controlled at a local/regional level. In Ireland we are closing our smaller councils, not giving them additional powers.

    While Phil Hogan has plans to setup municipalities, I can’t envisage central government giving actual power to them.

    As it stands power is centralised within the cabinet of 15, and even more so now with the 4 man Economic Management Council which makes a lot of the key decisions now.

    Reform not abolish!

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Bramley Hawthorne
    Favourite Bramley Hawthorne
    Report
    Aug 9th 2013, 5:46 PM

    “Except it isn’t an unelected chamber.” Really? We are talking about Seanad Eireann here, which is unelected.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean Linda Conlon
    Favourite Sean Linda Conlon
    Report
    Aug 10th 2013, 11:51 AM

    Unelected ?? there’s a reason some of them are appointed, that reason is very valid, and lies in the lessons of the past , which we are condemned to repeat if we ignore them. The road to oligarchy is paved with the concentration of power, so I’d be interested in hearing an argument as to why its not.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tom O Brien
    Favourite Tom O Brien
    Report
    Aug 9th 2013, 3:06 PM

    The great & the good my Arse.. What a pompous high opinion some people in this country have of themselves. Get rid of thr gravy train riding wasters.

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul Cotrulia
    Favourite Paul Cotrulia
    Report
    Aug 9th 2013, 2:28 PM

    Get rid of all TD’s and let the Seanad deal directly with constituents through county/city councillors. A TD on a large salary has assistants and advisors who are also highly salaried and still manage to make a mess of things. Such a waste. Seanad in, TD’s out

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brian O' Connor
    Favourite Brian O' Connor
    Report
    Aug 9th 2013, 6:46 PM

    I would have thought that voting to get rid of the Seanad, leaving one unreformed chamber run by 15 people due to the whip system, reduced at the moment to 4 main decision makers, is a vote for oligarchy.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Thomas Hanlon
    Favourite Thomas Hanlon
    Report
    Aug 9th 2013, 11:46 PM

    save the Seanad, at least allow are ridiculous democratic government remain with it’s one redeeming policy. We should give them more power

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds