Seanad Reform
For more than a decade I have continually campaigned for democratic reform of the Seanad electoral system.
When I and others in the Democracy Matters group campaigned for retention of the Seanad in the 2013 referendum, we appealed to the people of Ireland to vote to “Open it don’t close it”. The people voted for retention and advocates of that position immediately set about reforming how Senators are elected.
I continued that campaign upon my election in 2016 and drafted the Seanad Bill which would extend the franchise to every citizen who wished to vote in a Seanad election.
Since then, each successive government has cynically promised but utterly failed to deliver any electoral reform.
Until the Supreme Court found last year in the Heneghan case that the State was obliged to extend the university franchise to all university graduates, absolutely nothing was done. And now a Government Bill is before the Oireachtas that would enable all university degree graduates to vote – but only in the second next Seanad election for six university seats, and no vote for other citizens.
Depending on definitions, six university seats would then be elected by those among about one million graduates who register, but 43 seats will continue to be elected by a party-dominated electorate of 1,283 people – 234 Oireachtas members and 949 local councillors.
This unfair and cynical system is stacked in favour of the current Government parties and must not be allowed to continue after the next general election. I recently addressed the matter when I delivered the Daniel O’Connell Lecture at the O’Connell Summer School in Cahersiveen in August 2024 and the text of my address can be read here Address by Michael McDowell to the Daniel O’Connell Summer School 2024 – Michael McDowell
Without the need for constitutional change, the following radical Seanad reforms could be passed by the Oireachtas:
- Universal franchise in Seanad Elections, with a vote for every Irish citizen;
- A diaspora vote for emigrants and Irish citizens living in Northern Ireland;
- Online voter registration and voting;
- A reconstitution of the vocational panels and a more limited electoral role for Oireachtas members and councillors;
- A redefined role for the Seanad in North-South relations, the consideration of secondary EU legislation, and the consideration of reports from statutory bodies and regulators;
Seanad Éireann Role
Senator Michael McDowell lives in Dublin, and is married to Professor Niamh Brennan and they have three sons – Hugh, John and Ross. His wife Niamh is the Michael MacCormac a of Management in the UCD Quinn School of Business. In his spare time, Michael enjoys reading, hillwalking and boating in both Dublin and Roscommon, where he and Niamh have had a home for some years.
SEANAD ÉIREANN ROLE
- Seanad Éireann provides a non-confrontational consideration of all legislation
- Important legislation is frequently initiated in the Seanad rather than the Dáil
- Important private members’ bills have been tabled by senators dealing with many issues of social policy and law reform
- Seanad Éireann must give prior approval to EU proposals for enhanced co-operation, the Shengen Acquis, and Ireland’s ‘opt-out’ of EU measures on freedom, justice and security
- Seanad Éireann can petition the President to put important bills to the people by referendum
- Seanad Éireann has a veto over any proposal to impeach the President, to remove judges from office, or to remove the Comptroller and Auditor General from office
- The consent of Seanad Éireann must be obtained for Ireland to surrender its veto on individual EU legal proposals
- Up to two members of the Seanad may be appointed to cabinet as government ministers.